Bo Jiang, the Chinese scientist who was accused of spying on stage secrets during his work with NASA via the National Institute of Aerospace, and who was arrested after booking a one way ticket back to China in March, is now likely to be cleared of spying. According to various news sources including Bloomberg, while suspected of spying (Jiang was also accused of taking a NASA computer to China without authorisation during a previous trip). Jiang had been formally arrested at Dulles International Airport, Washington D.C. under the charge of not fully declaring all of the computer equipment he was carrying.
Jiang will however not be fully celebrating a likely acquittal on the non-disclosure charges as he is likely to be embarrassed over new charges he faces. During the FBI investigation of his electronic equipment, Jiang was found to have downloaded mainstream movies illegally and had allegedly also downloaded explicit pornographic movies on his NASA supplied laptop computer, both actions being minor misdemeanour offences.
Also embarrassed will be Frank Wolf, Republican congressman, who had publically noted that NASA’s security was at risk from foreign spying and had specifically named Chiang as a possible suspect.
Updated: Bo Jiang has now been deported from USA after pleading guilty to the lesser charge of the inappropriate use of a government laptop.
