Federal authorities have raided illegal biological laboratories in California and Las Vegas, with both facilities connected to a Chinese fugitive awaiting trial on fraud charges, raising significant national security concerns. The operations underscore potential vulnerabilities in America's biosecurity oversight and highlight ongoing challenges with covert Chinese-linked research operations on U.S. soil.
The investigation centers on Jia Bei Zhu, also known as Jesse Zhu, Qiang He, or David He, a 62-year-old Chinese citizen who was arrested in October 2023 for distributing adulterated and misbranded COVID-19 test kits and making false statements to federal authorities. The California lab in Reedley was first discovered by a code enforcement officer in 2022, where officials found thousands of vials labeled with dangerous pathogens including HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, and Ebola, along with approximately 1,000 genetically engineered mice reportedly capable of contracting and carrying COVID-19.
On February 1, 2026, the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police raided a residential property in northeast Las Vegas, discovering an illegal biological laboratory operating from a locked garage. Investigators found multiple refrigerators containing vials of unknown liquids, gallon-size containers with suspicious substances, centrifuges, and other laboratory equipment. More than 1,000 samples were collected and sent to FBI facilities across the country for analysis. Authorities took extensive precautions, using robots to clear the home and deploying hazardous materials teams to secure potentially dangerous materials.
Property records revealed that the Las Vegas home is owned by an LLC linked to the California lab operations, with both connected to Zhu's network of companies, including Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI) and Prestige Biotech Inc. A congressional report from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party determined that Zhu has previously served as a top official at a Chinese state-controlled company with ties to "military-civil fusion entities." The report also identified connections between Zhu's operations and the Henan Investment Group Company Limited, a company involved in military-civil fusion for the People's Republic of China.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the seriousness of the discoveries, noting that "once we have those results, then we can produce further charges." The FBI director has been vocal about these concerns, sharing information about the raids on social media to draw attention to the national security implications.
In response to these discoveries, Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) has urged congressional action on bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening federal oversight of highly pathogenic agents and high-containment laboratories. The "Preventing Illegal Laboratories and Protecting Public Health Act of 2025," cosponsored by Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA), is designed to enhance protections for Americans against public health and national security threats posed by unauthorized biological laboratories.
The raids have sparked discussions about improving interagency coordination and tightening regulations around biological research facilities. While officials have stated there is no immediate threat to public health, the discoveries highlight ongoing vulnerabilities in the nation's biosecurity framework that foreign actors could potentially exploit. As the investigation continues and FBI laboratories analyze the collected samples, authorities are working to determine the full scope of these operations and assess potential national security implications.
