A Chinese graduate student studying microbiology in Wyoming has been taken into custody for allegedly poisoning a fellow student’s tea, who was involved in pending patents, and then attempting to leave the country after police interrogated her.
Aili Wang, aged 32, was apprehended on October 6 at Los Angeles International Airport, as she was reportedly planning to fly back to China. Authorities discovered multiple laptops, electronic storage devices, and documents in her possession. Surveillance footage showed Wang searching through the colleague’s desk, who was researching disease treatment technology similar to her previous work in China.
Wang is currently detained in Los Angeles without bail. The victim’s wife and others detected the poison in the tea brewed using the victim’s coffee maker. Mark Gomelsky, the microbiology professor overseeing both students, expressed shock and uncertainty about the victim’s recovery.
The investigation was initiated after the victim, identified as K.T., displayed symptoms, leading to the isolation of acrylamide in the coffee maker water. Surveillance cameras were installed in the shared office space of K.T. and Wang at the university in Laramie, Wyoming, capturing Wang going through K.T.’s desk and manipulating notebooks.
Wang and the victim had a strained relationship, as confirmed by campus police. She had reportedly purchased acrylamide online and denied recent usage during a police interview. The victim, renowned for his research on new disease treatment technologies, experienced health issues related to the poisoning.
Gomelsky mentioned that Wang envied the victim’s success and may have resorted to poisoning out of jealousy. The victim’s ongoing symptoms, including neurological issues, raise concerns about the extent of his recovery. Wang faces a felony charge in Wyoming with a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 US fine. Bond has been increased to $1.5 million US, with extradition pending.