The person at the center of this case
Intellectual property of U.S. seed manufacturing companies (DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto, LG Seeds)
Cold Case · Open - Wanted by FBI
12 years waiting · since 2013
Ye, Jian
Justice for Intellectual property of U.S. seed manufacturing companies (DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto, LG Seeds) — the trail went cold in 2013, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Where is Ye, Jian currently located? Has he fled to China or Argentina as suspected?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What specific inbred corn seed lines were stolen and how were they transported to China?
👤
person
Lead #3What roles did the four co-conspirators (Li Shaoming, Lin Yong, Wang Hongwei, Wang Lei) play in the conspiracy?
Ye, Jian is wanted for conspiracy to steal valuable trade secrets from major U.S. seed companies including DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto, and LG Seeds between 2011 and 2012. He and four co-conspirators allegedly stole proprietary "inbred" corn seed lines worth an estimated 30-40 million dollars each and transported them to China to benefit a China-based seed company. A federal warrant was issued for his arrest on December 17, 2013, and he remains at large, believed to be an international flight risk with possible connections to China and Argentina.
Case
#612
United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa; FBI Counterintelligence
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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.
📞
contact
Lead #4What connections exist between the conspirators and the China-based seed company that benefited from the stolen intellectual property?
💡
clue
Lead #5How did the conspirators gain access to the secure seed facilities of DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto, and LG Seeds?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets Caution: From approximately April 2011 to approximately December 2012, Ye, Jian, Li, Shaoming , Lin, Yong , Wang, Hongwei , and Wang, Lei allegedly conspired to steal the intellectual property of several United States-based seed manufacturing companies and transport the intellectual property to the People's Republic of China for the benefit of their China-based seed company. The 5 individuals are alleged to have conspired to steal “inbred” corn seed from Dupont Pioneer, Monsanto, and LG Seeds.
This “inbred” or “parent” line of seed constitutes valuable intellectual property of a seed producer. The estimated loss on an “inbred” line of seed is approximately 5 to 8 years of research and a minimum of 30 to 40 million dollars.
After Ye, Jian was charged with conspiracy to steal trade secrets, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest in the United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa, on December 17, 2013. Remarks: Ye, Jian should be considered an international flight risk.
He has possibly visited China and Argentina, and he speaks Mandarin and English.
Timeline of Events
🕵️
2011-04-01
Conspiracy Period Begins
Alleged conspiracy to steal trade secrets begins approximately April 2011
🕵️
2012-12-01
Conspiracy Period Ends
Alleged conspiracy period ends approximately December 2012
👤
2013-12-17
Federal Warrant Issued
Federal warrant issued for arrest of Ye, Jian in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa for conspiracy to steal trade secrets
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:April 1, 2011
Last Updated:April 29, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:April 1, 2011
Last Updated:April 29, 2026