KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Two Chinese agricultural scientists have been indicted in U.S. District Court with conspiracy to steal trade secrets and theft of trade secrets. Weiqiang Zhang, 47, and Wengui Yan, 63, were charged in connection with the theft of rice seeds from a pharmaceutical company’s research facility in Kansas, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. They are charged with allowing visitors from a Chinese research institute to obtain unique rice seeds developed by Ventria Bioscience at Junction City. Earlier this year, U.S. Customs agents found stolen seeds hidden in luggage belonging to Chinese scientists who were returning to China after a visit to the U.S.
Monday, Dec. 23, 3 p.m .
