Ex-Stanford researcher accused of hiding ties to Chinese military faces additional charges
- Song Chen was accused of concealing membership of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
- She was one of four Chinese scientists doing research at US universities who were arrested last July by the Justice Department
A Chinese researcher visiting Stanford University who was charged with visa fraud after she allegedly hid her military background is facing new charges, US federal prosecutors said.
A federal grand jury charged Chen Song, 39, with obstruction of justice, destruction of documents and making false statements to a government agency, the US Attorney’s Office said this week.
“We allege that while Chen Song worked as a researcher at Stanford University, she was secretly a member of China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army,” US Attorney David Anderson said in a statement.
“When Song feared discovery, she destroyed documents in a failed attempt to conceal her true identity. This prosecution will help to protect elite institutions like Stanford from illicit foreign influences.”
Song was one of four Chinese scientists living in the United States and doing research at universities who were arrested last July by the Justice Department, which accused them of lying about their status as members of the People’s Liberation Army. All were charged with visa fraud.
“The FBI’s investigation revealed Song Chen took active steps to destroy evidence of her official affiliation with the Chinese military, including her current PLA credentials depicting her in military dress uniform,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair said.