Chinese national targeted in federal spy investigation arrested at Miami International Airport

A Chinese traveler targeted in an FBI investigation of alleged high-level industrial espionage in the United States was detained Tuesday at Miami International Airport and charged with lying to customs agents.

Chengzhe Wang, 29, is in federal custody after allegedly making false statements to Customs and Border Protection about his connection to the Chinese government and the nature of a past trip to the U.S., according to an FBI affidavit obtained by the Florida Trident. 

When a search of his electronic devices found he’d shared a nuclear weapons research document on a Chinese app, Wang told agents he sent it because he “thought it contained porn pictures,” according to the arrest affidavit.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intercepted the Chinese national when he flew from Mexico City to Miami on January 14. He was scheduled to board another flight, headed for Nicaragua, later that day, according to the affidavit.

Customs agents detained Wang on the basis of a June 2023 tip to federal law enforcement that alleged operatives from Xugong Group, a large-scale Chinese construction-equipment firm, were entering the United States to “conduct illegal activities,” including “spying on intelligence” and “obtaining confidential technology in the same industry.” The tipster claimed those involved in the espionage “received training from China’s Security Intelligence Agency on how to provide false information to deceive U.S. customs to enter the country, and how to obtain intelligence in the U.S.” 

Wang’s name and passport number were included in the tip, which specified he was an overseas product manager for a firm associated with the Xugong Group called XCMG Construction Machinery Co., according to the FBI. The Trident sent emails to both companies requesting comment prior to publishing and will update with any response.

Though the tipster – who wasn’t identified but is known by federal agents – detailed extensive spying activity, Wang is not currently charged with espionage. The criminal complaint centers on the FBI’s claim that he concealed from customs agents that his firm is owned by the People’s Republic of China and that he’s a member of the Chinese Communist Youth League.

“When asked why Wang initially lied to CBP officers, Wang stated that he initially denied any current association with the Youth League because officials at XCMG advised him not to disclose membership to U.S. authorities,” FBI special agent Nolan Gallow wrote in the affidavit. 

The affidavit alleges that during a search of Wang’s electronics and cellphone, customs agents found that a document he shared in the Chinese messaging app WeChat “contained 47 pages of schematics, graphs, and diagrams related to nuclear weapons research,” with text in Mandarin.

“An initial translation of the PDF document revealed the title as ‘Atomic Bomb,'” Gallow wrote.

When customs officers asked him to explain the document, Wang claimed he was under the impression he was sharing a file with pornography images, the FBI says. But a search of the document by the FBI found no such material and Wang later admitted there was none, according to the affidavit. 

The search also turned up a photograph of a badge or credential with Mandarin wording for “Administrative Law Enforcement,” according to the affidavit. 

“Based on my training and experience, this photograph appears to depict an official credential or badge case likely for use by [People’s Republic of China] law enforcement or some other PRC government agency,” Gallow wrote. 

Wang further claimed he was on vacation during a visit to Dallas in September 2023. However, customs records showed he told agents at the time that he was in the United States for business purposes that included a visit to XCMG’s warehouses in Houston, the FBI says.

“Wang’s statements about his connection to a foreign government, affiliation with the CCP, and purpose of his 2023 trip to Dallas were materially false,” wrote the FBI’s Gallow.

The charge brought against Wang carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the base count, with an eight-year maximum if convicted with aggravating factors.

About the author: Izzy Kapnick is reporter and editor based in South Florida. He has worked as a journalist in the Miami metro area for more than 15 years, covering crime, high-profile litigation, environmental torts, politics, and public health.