PROBE

Chinese Official Charged in Alleged Visa Scheme to Recruit U.S. Science Talent

Representatives at the University of Georgia and the University of Massachusetts Boston said they were cooperating with the federal probe.

A Chinese government official was arrested over his alleged scheme to convince seven American universities—including the University of Georgia and the University of Massachusetts Boston—to sponsor visas for people purporting to be Chinese research scholars, who were actually working to recruit talented American science students. The defendant was identified as Zhongsan Liu, who works at the China Association for International Exchange of Personnel. Liu was charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, according to the Department of Justice. Representatives at the universities said they were cooperating with the federal probe.