Wyoming grad student who allegedly poisoned colleague arrested before fleeing to China

A microbiology graduate student from China, Aili Wang, 32, has been arrested in Wyoming on accusations that she poisoned a fellow student's tea after a dispute over pending patents, then attempted to flee the country upon questioning by police. She was apprehended at Los Angeles International Airport on October 6, with laptops, electronic storage devices, and documents now in police custody.

Authorities allege that Wang was caught on surveillance video rummaging through the victim's desk, who specialized in research similar to what Wang had previously conducted in China. Prosecutors claim that Wang purchased the chemical acrylamide from eBay, which was later detected in the victim's coffee maker used for brewing tea.

The victim's wife and others first discovered the presence of the chemical. Wang is currently being held in Los Angeles without bail. Her attorney has not been listed in court documents, and the Associated Press attempted to contact her via email and LinkedIn messages but received no response. For years, U.S. officials have accused China of stealing intellectual property from American universities.