Mahasiswa pascasarjana yang dituduh meracuni rekannya dan mencoba melarikan diri ke Tiongkok ditangkap di LAX

Microbiologist Aili Wang, 32, poisoned tea of colleague in Wyoming who had pending patents, prosecutors allege

A Wyoming microbiology graduate student from China has been arrested on accusations she poisoned the tea of a colleague who had pending patents and with whom she did not get along, then tried to flee the country after police questioned her.

Aili Wang, 32, was arrested 6 October at Los Angeles international airport, where prosecutors allege she sought to return to China. With her were laptops, electronic storage devices and documents now in the possession of police, who allege Wang was seen on surveillance video rummaging through the desk of the victim who specialized in technology for disease treatment – research similar to work she had done in China.

Wang remained jailed without bail on Tuesday in Los Angeles. She allegedly bought a chemical, acrylamide, over eBay, and it was first detected when the alleged victim’s wife and others tested water from the coffee maker he used to brew tea.

US officials for years have accused China of stealing intellectual property from American universities.

The microbiology professor overseeing both graduate students, Mark Gomelsky, said the accusations left him reeling. He was uncertain if the victim will fully recover.

“It’s been disheartening, to say the least, to see that one of your students’ lives is in jeopardy and another student may be responsible for that,” Gomelsky told the Associated Press. “That was one of the worst shocks in my professional career.”

Wang had no attorney listed in court documents. The AP tried to reach her via email and LinkedIn messages.

The police investigation began after the victim, identified in court documents as “KT”, began experiencing symptoms and his wife and others allegedly isolated the chemical in the coffee maker water. The victim and campus police then set up surveillance cameras in the office space he shared with Wang at the university in Laramie.

Wang allegedly was recorded 27 September going through the alleged victim’s desk. On 1 October, she was recorded “taking photos and manipulating notebooks” on his desk, as well as rinsing out his mug with a liquid from her own mug, a University of Wyoming campus police officer’s affidavit said.

Wang and the alleged victim, who did not share research areas, did not get along, according to the affidavit.

The alleged victim began experiencing extreme tiredness, inability to sleep and other unexplained symptoms soon after attending a prestigious conference in August, Gomelsky said.

He also noticed a strange taste in the tea that he made with a small coffee maker on his desk, Gomelsky said. When he washed the coffee maker, Gomelsky said, the taste would go away.

Suspecting someone in their shared office could be poisoning the graduate student, Gomelsky said a chemistry professor tested the water and identified acrylamide.

Wang faces a felony aggravated assault and battery charge in Wyoming punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

It is not clear when she could be extradited to the state, where Albany county circuit court judge Robert Sanford granted prosecutors’ request and raised bond to $1.5m cash-only.

Wang allegedly asked eBay to delete her account after she bought acrylamide over the online retail site twice last summer, police said.

Mikrobiolog Aili Wang, 32, diduga meracuni teh rekannya di Wyoming yang memiliki paten tertunda, menurut jaksa.

Seorang mahasiswa pascasarjana mikrobiologi asal China di Wyoming telah ditangkap karena tuduhan meracuni teh seorang rekannya yang memiliki paten tertunda dan tidak akur dengannya, lalu mencoba melarikan diri dari negara itu setelah polisi mempertanyakannya.

Aili Wang, 32, ditangkap 6 Oktober di bandara internasional Los Angeles, tempat jaksa menduga ia berusaha kembali ke China. Bersamanya ada laptop, perangkat penyimpanan elektronik, dan dokumen yang kini berada di tangan polisi, yang menduga Wang terlihat dalam rekaman pengawasan sedang menggeledah meja korban yang berspesialisasi dalam teknologi pengobatan penyakit – penelitian serupa dengan pekerjaan yang ia lakukan di China.

Wang tetap ditahan tanpa jaminan pada Selasa di Los Angeles. Ia diduga membeli bahan kimia, akrilamida, melalui eBay, dan pertama kali terdeteksi ketika istri korban dugaan dan orang lain menguji air dari mesin kopi yang ia gunakan untuk menyeduh teh.

Pejabat AS selama bertahun-tahun menuduh China mencuri kekayaan intelektual dari universitas-universitas Amerika.

Profesor mikrobiologi yang membimbing kedua mahasiswa pascasarjana itu, Mark Gomelsky, mengatakan tuduhan tersebut membuatnya terguncang. Ia tidak yakin apakah korban akan pulih sepenuhnya.

"Setidaknya bisa dikatakan, sungguh menyedihkan melihat kehidupan salah satu mahasiswa Anda dalam bahaya dan mahasiswa lain mungkin bertanggung jawab atas hal itu," kata Gomelsky kepada Associated Press. "Itu salah satu guncangan terburuk dalam karier profesional saya."

Wang tidak memiliki pengacara yang tercantum dalam dokumen pengadilan. AP mencoba menghubunginya melalui email dan pesan LinkedIn.

Investigasi polisi dimulai setelah korban, yang diidentifikasi dalam dokumen pengadilan sebagai "KT", mulai mengalami gejala dan istrinya serta orang lain diduga mengisolasi bahan kimia tersebut dalam air mesin kopi. Korban dan polisi kampus kemudian memasang kamera pengawasan di ruang kantor yang ia bagi dengan Wang di universitas di Laramie.

Wang diduga terekam pada 27 September sedang menggeledah meja korban dugaan. Pada 1 Oktober, ia terekam "mengambil foto dan memanipulasi buku catatan" di mejanya, serta membilas cangkirnya dengan cairan dari cangkirnya sendiri, kata pernyataan tertulis seorang petugas polisi kampus University of Wyoming.

Wang dan korban dugaan, yang tidak berbagi bidang penelitian, tidak akur, menurut pernyataan tertulis tersebut.

Korban dugaan mulai mengalami kelelahan ekstrem, ketidakmampuan tidur, dan gejala lain yang tidak dapat dijelaskan tak lama setelah menghadiri konferensi bergengsi pada Agustus, kata Gomelsky.

Ia juga menyadari ada rasa aneh pada teh yang ia buat dengan mesin kopi kecil di mejanya, kata Gomelsky. Ketika ia mencuci mesin kopi itu, kata Gomelsky, rasanya akan hilang.

Menduga seseorang di kantor bersama mereka mungkin meracuni mahasiswa pascasarjana itu, Gomelsky mengatakan seorang profesor kimia menguji air tersebut dan mengidentifikasi akrilamida.

Wang menghadapi tuduhan kejahatan penyerangan dan penganiayaan berat di Wyoming dengan hukuman hingga 10 tahun penjara dan denda $10.000.

Tidak jelas kapan ia bisa diekstradisi ke negara bagian tersebut, tempat hakim pengadilan sirkuit county Albany, Robert Sanford, mengabulkan permintaan jaksa dan menaikkan jaminan menjadi $1,5 juta tunai saja.

Wang diduga meminta eBay menghapus akunnya setelah ia membeli akrilamida melalui situs ritel online itu dua kali pada musim panas lalu, kata polisi.