Ohio Doctor Accused Of Fraud, Making False Claims: FBI

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — A former Cleveland Clinic doctor has been accused by federal officials of wire fraud and making false claims to obtain $3.6 million in grant funding. Dr. Qing Wang was taken into custody at his Shaker Heights home on Wednesday, the FBI announced.

"This is not a case of simple omission,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith. “Dr. Wang deliberately failed to disclose his Chinese grants and foreign positions and even engaged in a pervasive pattern of fraud to avoid criminal culpability. The collective efforts of the FBI, HHS-OIG, and Cleveland Clinic officials demonstrate our commitment to hold those like Dr. Wang accountable."

The criminal complaint says Wang took part in the Thousand Talents Program, which was established by the Chinese government to recruit individuals with access to or knowledge of foreign technology and intellectual property.

As a member of the program, Wang received free travel and lodging on trips to China, received $3 million in research support and enhancements for his facilities and failed to tell the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that he was associated with the Thousand Talents Program, the complaint says.

Wang also failed to tell the National Institutes of Health that he held the position of Dean of the College of Life Sciences and Technology at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, according to the complaint. He also did not disclose that he had received multiple grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, with some of the grants being intended to support the same research his NIH grants were meant for, the complaint says.

"As this case demonstrates, Chinese government-supported talent plans continue to encourage people, regardless of nationality, to commit crimes, such as fraud to obtain U.S. taxpayer-funded research," said Robert Wells, Acting Assistant Director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. "The FBI and our partners will continue to rigorously investigate these illegal activities to protect our government, educational and research institutions.”

The FBI led the investigation into Wang, with assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from Cleveland Clinic officials.