Federal officials confirmed this week that a Chinese national, Xu Zewei, has been arrested in Italy on charges of hacking U.S. COVID-19 research under the direction of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS). The arrest follows a multi-year investigation into cyber-espionage campaigns targeting American universities, pharmaceutical companies, and government laboratories during the height of the pandemic.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleges that Xu, 38, and an accomplice—identified only as “Co-Conspirator A”—worked as technology contractors for a front company tied to the MSS, China’s primary civilian intelligence agency. According to court filings, between 2020 and 2021, Xu orchestrated a coordinated cyber-intrusion campaign that stole sensitive biomedical data, vaccine trial results, and proprietary research from at least five U.S. institutions, including two major universities and a Massachusetts-based biotechnology firm developing mRNA vaccine components.

The hacking campaign

Prosecutors allege that Xu’s group used sophisticated phishing emails, encrypted malware, and remote-access tools disguised as legitimate academic software to infiltrate secure networks. Once inside, they allegedly exfiltrated terabytes of data related to COVID-19 vaccine research, therapeutic drug development, and genomic sequencing studies.

Investigators say Xu’s actions were “not rogue or self-motivated,” but rather part of a state-directed campaign to accelerate China’s access to Western medical research during the early pandemic months when vaccine competition was fierce.

“The theft of American biomedical innovation during a global health crisis was not only criminal but inhumane,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in a statement announcing the charges. “While American scientists were working tirelessly to save lives, Beijing’s intelligence services were stealing that work to gain political and economic advantage.”

Arrest and extradition

Xu was detained last week by Italian authorities in Milan while attempting to board a flight to Shanghai. He is expected to face extradition proceedings in Rome under a mutual legal assistance treaty between the U.S. and Italy. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has indicted him on 12 counts, including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, economic espionage, and theft of trade secrets.

If convicted, Xu faces up to 25 years in federal prison. The DOJ confirmed that it is seeking the extradition of his unnamed co-conspirator, who remains at large in China.

Italian intelligence sources said that Xu had been living in Europe under a series of business visas and had used encrypted communication platforms to coordinate with MSS handlers in China. His arrest reportedly resulted from a joint U.S.–European counterintelligence operation that tracked unusual digital activity linked to university servers in the United States and servers in Europe registered to Xu’s company.

Broader implications

Officials emphasized that Xu’s case reflects a larger pattern of Chinese cyber-espionage. Since 2018, the FBI has issued multiple warnings about state-sponsored hacking campaigns aimed at U.S. healthcare, aerospace, and academic sectors.

“Beijing increasingly relies on private contractors and so-called research partnerships to mask government involvement in espionage,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a press briefing. “Xu Zewei’s operation fits a clear pattern: outsourcing intelligence theft to avoid diplomatic repercussions while accelerating China’s access to cutting-edge innovation.”

Cybersecurity analysts note that the use of hybrid actors—private firms tied to Chinese intelligence—allows the MSS to maintain plausible deniability while benefiting from stolen data. The stolen COVID-19 research, officials say, was later used to inform vaccine development at state-linked institutions in Wuhan and Beijing.

Reactions from Washington

The Biden administration praised the Italian government for cooperating in the arrest and urged China to cease what it called “systematic theft of global intellectual property.” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. will “continue to expose and disrupt” state-sponsored hacking operations, calling them a threat to global security and scientific integrity.

At the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Xu’s actions were “an attack not just on American innovation, but on global trust.” She added, “Every country has an obligation to respect international norms. Stealing lifesaving research during a pandemic violates every moral and humanitarian principle.”

Beijing has denied involvement, calling the allegations “politically motivated slander.” The Chinese Embassy in Washington said the U.S. “routinely fabricates espionage accusations” to justify technology containment against China.

Parallel controversy: Intelligence misconduct probe

While the DOJ announced Xu’s indictment, another major development was unfolding in Washington. Former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey are reportedly under investigation for potential misconduct connected to the Trump–Russia inquiry and the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA).

According to multiple sources familiar with the inquiry, investigators are reviewing whether Brennan and Comey made false statements or violated internal procedures during the creation of the ICA—a report that concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help Donald Trump.

A recently declassified review by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) found that portions of the ICA were influenced by political pressure and that analysts relied heavily on the Steele Dossier, a set of unverified opposition research documents funded by Democratic operatives.

The declassification report concluded that the inclusion of that material “undermined confidence in the objectivity” of the intelligence findings and may have led to inaccurate conclusions about Russian intent.

The new inquiry

The Justice Department’s Inspector General is now examining whether Brennan and Comey’s leadership decisions violated intelligence protocols or misled other agencies. Investigators are reportedly focused on the drafting process, including how certain analysts were selected and whether dissenting opinions were suppressed.

If evidence of intentional misconduct emerges, both men could face administrative sanctions or even criminal referrals. However, legal experts caution that proving intentional deception in intelligence assessments is extraordinarily difficult.

Brennan has dismissed the allegations as “a politically motivated fishing expedition,” while Comey told reporters that he has “full confidence” the assessment was accurate and properly handled.

White House calls for accountability

Reacting to both stories, Press Secretary Leavitt said the administration expects “full transparency and accountability” from anyone found to have abused government power. “Whether it’s foreign espionage undermining our security or domestic officials misleading the public, accountability must apply equally,” she said.

Republican lawmakers quickly seized on the developments, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stating that “the American people deserve to know whether senior intelligence officials manipulated evidence for political ends.” Democrats, meanwhile, accused the White House of politicizing the intelligence process.

Two stories, one theme

Despite appearing unrelated, the twin developments highlight a single theme running through U.S. national-security policy: the intersection of trust, transparency, and accountability. The Xu Zewei case underscores external threats—how foreign actors exploit scientific openness for strategic gain—while the Brennan-Comey probe raises questions about internal oversight and integrity within America’s own intelligence community.

Both underscore how fragile public confidence has become, particularly at a time when technology, politics, and national security are increasingly intertwined.

As one senior intelligence official put it: “The challenge isn’t just keeping secrets from our adversaries—it’s maintaining honesty within our own institutions. When that balance collapses, democracy itself becomes vulnerable.”

For now, Xu’s extradition proceedings are expected to take months, and the DOJ has vowed to keep pursuing cyber-espionage cases linked to China’s state apparatus. Meanwhile, the investigation into Brennan and Comey continues quietly in Washington—two parallel stories reflecting the same struggle: protecting America’s security while preserving its credibility at home and abroad.