Kujtim Sadiku
FBI Agent

In February 2020, Dr. Anming Hu, a professor in the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT), was indicted on three counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements. U. S. v. Anming Hu, case no. 3:20-CR-00021 (Eastern District of Tennessee),

The indictment alleged that Dr. Hu engaged in a scheme to defraud the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by failing to disclose his affiliation with the Beijing University of Technology (BJUT), in violation of federal law prohibiting NASA from using appropriated funds on projects which involve collaboration with China or Chinese universities.

Evidence presented at trial revealed that Dr. Hu filed conflict of interest disclosure forms with UT that listed his collaborations with Chinese researchers, work with Chinese students, and research papers describing him as a professor with both UT and BJUT.  

During the trial, FBI Agent Kujtim Sadiku admitted that federal agents:

• Falsely accused Dr. Anming Hu of being a Chinese spy.

• Falsely implicated him as an operative for the Chinese military in meetings with Hu’s bosses

• Used false information to put Hu on the federal no-fly list.

• Spurred U.S. customs agents to seize Hu’s computer and phone and spread word throughout the international research community that Hu was poison.

• Used false information to justify putting a team of agents to spy on Hu and his son, a freshman at UTK, for nearly two years.

• Used false information to press Hu to become a spy for the U.S. government.

6/13/21 Knoxville News Sentinel: “Trial reveals federal agents falsely accused a UT professor born in China of spying”
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2021/06/14/federal-agents-falsely-accused-university-of-tennessee-professor-spying-china/7649378002/

After the jury failed to reach a verdict, a mistrial was declared. One juror described the prosecution as “the most ridiculous case.” 
6/23/21 The Intercept: “Ridiculous Case”: Juror Criticizes DOJ for Charging Scientist With Hiding Ties to China
https://theintercept.com/2021/06/23/anming-hu-trial-fbi-china/

After the Department of Justice announced it would retry Dr. Hu, Judge Thomas Varlan granted the defense’s Motion for Acquittal, acquitting Dr. Hu of all charges.

Donate to Dr. Hu’s legal defense fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/8aw8ry-jobloss