Houston Scientist Arrested for Attempted Theft of Cancer Research

HOUSTON, Texas — An investigation is underway after a scientist at MD Anderson Cancer Center was arrested for attempting to steal sensitive cancer-related research and send it to China. Yunhai Li, 35, was taken into custody on July 9 as he prepared to board a flight to China.

Li, a Chinese national, faced charges of theft of trade secrets and tampering with a government record. According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, these charges carry potential penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of $10,000 for the theft charge, and up to one year and a $4,000 fine for tampering.

Investigators said Li began his employment at MD Anderson in 2022 on a nonimmigrant research scholar exchange visa. During his tenure, he worked on breast cancer research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Documents revealed that he uploaded sensitive data to his personal Google Drive, which MD Anderson detected and addressed before he allegedly deleted the files.

However, unbeknownst to MD Anderson, Li uploaded the same data to a Chinese cloud service called Baidu. This information was uncovered during a routine inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

“We detained him as he was trying to get on a flight to China,” said Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare. “We needed to make sure that he was held accountable and that the information would stay here.”

The court documents noted that on the Baidu drive, investigators found unpublished research data and articles representing trade secrets. Li was also reportedly receiving funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and publishing research for The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University while at MD Anderson.

Li allegedly signed agreements stating he had no conflict of interest and would not receive outside compensation while working at MD Anderson. A sworn statement from Li indicated that he believed he had the right to retain the data, claiming he felt it was “going to waste.”

As the investigation continues, the prosecution indicated that additional charges may follow. “We will relentlessly protect these vital organizations to ensure they continue to lead in advancing medical care,” Teare warned.

Li posted a $5,100 bail and is currently required to surrender his passport and stay in the Houston area while the case proceeds.