The person at the center of this case
United States Government / Boston University
Cold Case · Open - Fugitive believed to be in China
6 years waiting · since 2020
YANQING YE
Justice for United States Government / Boston University — the trail went cold in 2020, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1What specific U.S. military websites did Ye access and assess during her time at Boston University?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What documents and information did Ye transmit to China, and how was this communication conducted?
🎯
suspect
Lead #3Who were the specific PLA officers who assigned tasks to Ye, and what was the chain of command?
Yanqing Ye, a Lieutenant in China's People's Liberation Army, allegedly deceived U.S. authorities by falsely claiming to be a student on her J-1 visa while conducting military research and espionage activities at Boston University from 2017 to 2019. She is accused of maintaining contact with PLA supervisors, assessing U.S. military websites, and transmitting sensitive American documents and information back to China. A federal arrest warrant was issued on January 28, 2020, but Ye is believed to have fled to China, making her apprehension unlikely without international cooperation.
Case
#808
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts; Federal Bureau of Investigation
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
👁️
witness
Lead #4Which Boston University colleagues or supervisors were aware of Ye's dual role as both student and PLA officer?
💡
clue
Lead #5How did Ye's visa application successfully conceal her military service and ongoing PLA assignments?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Acting as an Agent of a Foreign Government; Visa Fraud; Making False Statements; Conspiracy Caution: Yanqing Ye is a Lieutenant in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China, and a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Ye studied at the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), a top military academy directed by the CCP in China.
It is alleged that, on her J-1 visa application, Ye falsely identified herself as a “student” and lied about her ongoing military service at the NUDT. During Ye's time in the United States on her J-1 visa, she maintained close contact with her supervisor at the NUDT and other colleagues.
While studying at Boston University’s Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering from October of 2017 to April of 2019, Ye allegedly continued to work as a PLA Lieutenant completing numerous assignments from PLA officers such as conducting research, assessing United States military websites, and sending United States documents and information to China. On January 28, 2020, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Ye in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, after she was charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government, visa fraud, making false statements, and conspiracy.
Remarks: Ye is believed to be in China.
Timeline of Events
📞
2017-10-01
Ye Enrolls at Boston University
Yanqing Ye begins studying at Boston University's Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering on a J-1 visa
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2019-04-30
Ye's Boston University Studies End
Ye's enrollment at Boston University concludes in April 2019
🕵️
2020-01-28
Federal Arrest Warrant Issued
A federal arrest warrant is issued for Ye in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts for acting as an agent of a foreign government, visa fraud, making false statements, and conspiracy
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:October 1, 2017
Last Updated:October 30, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:October 1, 2017
Last Updated:October 30, 2026