Federal investigators say a clandestine biological laboratory uncovered inside a Las Vegas garage is directly tied to an illegal California biolab raided in 2023, both allegedly operated through the same network connected to a Chinese national awaiting trial on fraud and medical-device charges.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Federal authorities say an illegal biological laboratory discovered inside a residential garage in Las Vegas is directly connected to a clandestine biolab uncovered in Reedley, California, in 2023, with both facilities allegedly tied to a Chinese national now awaiting trial on federal fraud and public-health charges, according to a Just the News report.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department executed a search warrant over the weekend at a home on Sugar Springs Drive in northeast Las Vegas after receiving intelligence that laboratory equipment and potentially hazardous biological materials were being stored inside a locked garage. The operation followed a similar FBI raid in 2023 on a secret biolab in Reedley, California.
Authorities say both facilities are linked to Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese national arrested in 2023 on allegations he operated an illegal biological laboratory housing infectious disease samples. Zhu, who has also used the aliases Jesse Zhu, Qiang He, and David He, is currently in federal custody awaiting trial on multiple charges, including wire fraud, false statements, and the distribution of adulterated and misbranded medical devices.
During Saturday’s Las Vegas raid, police arrested Ori Salomon, the property manager of the residence, on a Nevada felony charge for the unlawful disposal or discharge of hazardous waste, court records show. Federal prosecutors later charged Salomon with illegal possession of firearms while under a nonimmigrant visa after investigators found multiple weapons inside the home, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Police and lawmakers say the two labs are closely connected. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., said in a House floor speech and on social media that the Las Vegas lab is “directly linked” to the secret Chinese lab found in California in 2023, writing that both were operated by the same limited liability company and the same Chinese nationals. Kiley described the two labs as “counterparts” and warned that authorities still do not know how many similar facilities may exist.
A review of federal court filings, real-estate records, and police documents shows the Las Vegas home is owned or controlled by David Destiny Discovery LLC, a company founded by Zhu and later transferred into the name of his business partner and romantic partner, Zhaoyan Wang. Ownership records indicate the Sugar Springs Drive property is listed under the company, according to filings. Wang reportedly fled to China shortly after authorities began investigating the California lab.
Congressional investigators have alleged that Zhu has significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party apparatus and previously operated a Chinese-based diagnostics company that helped fund his U.S. activities. A House committee report alleged Zhu illegally entered the United States, stole American intellectual property, and used Chinese funding to establish shell companies and laboratories on U.S. soil, according to investigators.
The Justice Department in November 2023 charged Zhu with distributing adulterated and misbranded medical devices and making false statements to the Food and Drug Administration, the DOJ announced. A superseding indictment filed in August 2024 also charged Zhu and Wang with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud related to the sale of unapproved COVID-19 test kits, court documents show.
Las Vegas police said investigators discovered refrigerators, a freezer, laboratory-type equipment, and numerous vials containing liquids of unknown color and composition inside the garage. Evidence was collected by hazmat-equipped teams and transported to a Southern Nevada Health District facility before being transferred to FBI laboratories for testing, police said.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill said authorities deployed drones, a tactical robot, and specialized response units due to the risk posed by unidentified materials. Video released by police shows investigators in protective gear removing vials labeled as biohazards and documenting laboratory equipment inside the garage, footage shows.
Police said several people who entered the garage before the raid became seriously ill. Local outlets reported that a house cleaner described the garage as smelling like a hospital with foul, stagnant air and said she became “deathly ill” after exposure, suffering respiratory distress, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue, according to reports. Another individual reportedly required hospitalization, local media said.
Court filings show Zhu and his attorneys have repeatedly attempted for more than two years to secure his release from federal detention by offering the Sugar Springs Drive home and other Las Vegas properties as collateral and by proposing Salomon as a third-party custodian. Federal prosecutors argued those proposals were designed to help Zhu flee to China, citing his Chinese citizenship, overseas financial ties, and Wang’s status as a fugitive codefendant.
During detention hearings, prosecutors detailed large financial transfers from Chinese-linked businesses into David Destiny Discovery accounts and argued Zhu had misrepresented his assets and ties to China, transcripts show. The DOJ said Zhu’s proposed custodians and collateral were controlled by Wang, who remains in China and outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Las Vegas police initially referred to Zhu as a suspect in the Nevada case before clarifying that Salomon was the individual arrested locally, though police later confirmed Zhu is considered the owner connected to the Sugar Springs Drive property and already in federal custody, authorities said.
Salomon posted a $3,000 cash bond on the state charge and is scheduled to appear in Clark County court in early March. Zhu remains in federal detention awaiting trial. Wang has not appeared in U.S. court and remains in China.
Investigators say testing of the seized materials is ongoing and that the discovery of the Las Vegas biolab has intensified concerns about national security, public health, and the potential existence of additional clandestine laboratories operating in the United States.
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