Temple Physics Chair Charged With Passing Tech to China

Xiaoxing Xi

Xiaoxing Xi, the physics department chair at Temple University, has been charged by federal prosecutors with passing semiconductor technology back to his native China.

The indictment (see the full document below) alleges Xi — a naturalized U.S. citizen — went to work for a U.S. company in 2002 and 2003, obtaining access to a device that speeds the growth of superconductor film. He later used a U.S. Defense Department research grant to try to purchase the device. The unidentified company licensed the device to him after he signed a document promising not to reverse engineer, reproduce, or sell copies of that device to any third parties.

Instead, according to the indictment:

Xi was indicted in mid-May; the charges were unsealed on Thursday.

“Xi appeared in U.S. District Court Thursday on four counts of wire fraud,” AP added. “He has been released on $100,000 bond. It wasn’t immediately known if he has a lawyer.”