Latest news with #Zewei
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Indian Express
Chinese man, accused of targeting US Covid vaccine efforts, held in Italy: What is the case?
A 33-year-old Chinese man has been arrested over alleged industrial espionage in Italy, news agency Reuters reported. The man, Xu Zewei, from Shanghai was wanted by the US for allegedly targeting projects like efforts to develop a Covid vaccine and was apprehended last week on a U.S. arrest warrant as part of an FBI investigation after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport. Zewei, however, has denied all the allegations, terming it a case of mistaken identity. According to the US authorities, Zewei was a part of the team that in 2020 hacked and targeted US-based universities, immunologist, and virologists engaged in research into Covid-19 testing. treatment and vaccine. The group also targeted a research university in the Southern District of Texas. The charges listed on the warrant against Zewei were wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and unauthorised access to protected computers, reported Reuters. Zewei has opposed the extradition, claiming that he is a victim of mistaken identity, his lawyer said told the media. 'He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account,' Reuters reported his lawyer Enrico Giarda as saying the the culmination of the extradition hearing which was held behind closed doors in Milan. The lawyer also stated that his client pointed out in the court that his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone too got stolen in 2020. 'We are now waiting for the U.S. authorities to send us the investigation files so that we can understand how they came to identify him as the perpetrator,' Giarda said. Washington has 40 days to send the related documents. Zewei's counsel also specified that they plan to request for house arrest at a later stage.
NDTV
10-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Chinese Hacker, Wanted By US For Stealing COVID-19 Data, Arrested In Italy
Rome: Italian authorities have arrested a Chinese citizen, accused by the United States of being part of a state-sponsored hacking group that stole COVID-19 vaccine secrets from the US on behalf of Chinese intelligence at the height of the pandemic in early 2020. Xu Zewei was arrested at Milan's Malpensa airport on July 3, after the US issued an international warrant against him, according to Italian authorities. A nine-count US indictment accused 33-year-old Zewei of working at the behest of China's Ministry of State Security to target US-based universities, immunologists, and virologists conducting research into COVID-19 vaccines, treatment, and testing. The indictment also accuses another person, Zhang Yu, who is believed to be in China, of participating in the activity. Zewei was presented at a Milan court on Tuesday as the US Justice Department begins the process to extradite him to America's Texas, where he faces charges related to wire fraud, identity theft and hacking. Italy's Justice Ministry confirmed that the US has formally sent an extradition request to Rome for request for Zewei, while he was being held in the country "at the request of US authorities for suspected IT crimes aimed at industrial espionage." The US believes the Chinese national was linked to a state-sponsored hacking group known as Hafnium that was accused of penetrating Microsoft email software in 2021 in a mass espionage campaign. Awkward Moment For Meloni? The arrest of the Chinese citizen, who claimed he was an IT specialist at the Milan court, could put pressure on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government in Italy, which has sought to court US President Donald Trump while also maintaining good relations with China. Over the years, the right-wing Meloni has forged a solid personal bond with Trump, even as the European Union remain at odds with Washington. But the Italian premier has also maintained friendly diplomatic relations with Beijing, an important trading partner. Rome and Beijing have been on friendly terms even after Meloni decided to withdraw from Chinese President Xi Jinping's flagship Belt and Road Initiative. Italy's deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, was due for an official visit to Beijing later this week. China's Reaction Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, said it was unaware of Zewei's case but said that "similar rumours have surfaced multiple times in the past, and China has already stated its position on the matter." Chinese vaccine research and development is amongst "the most advanced in the world. China has neither the need nor the intention to acquire vaccines through so-called theft," Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said in a statement to CNN. China's Espionage Record When the pandemic was at its peak in 2020, intelligence services across the globe scrambled to gather more and more information on the impacts of the virus. At the time, the FBI and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency repeatedly accused China of trying to steal vital research by hacking the systems of US groups studying the virus. In mid-2020, the US Department of Justice even indicted two other Chinese nationals for allegedly trying to access US research as part of Beijing's decade-long scheme to steal US trade secrets. At the time, Chinese state media said Washington had no evidence to support the allegations, adding: "It seems that some US politicians have totally lost their minds."
Cedar News
08-07-2025
- Cedar News
Suspected Chinese State-Sponsored Hacker Xu Zewei Arrested in Italy by FBI Agents
In a major development, the FBI announced the arrest of Xu Zewei, a suspected Chinese hacker believed to be linked to China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country's top intelligence and espionage agency. The arrest was carried out by FBI agents based in Houston, with cooperation from Italian authorities. Xu Zewei is accused of being involved in a series of sophisticated cyberattacks targeting U.S. infrastructure and private sector networks. According to the FBI, Zewei operated as part of a broader Chinese state-sponsored effort to steal sensitive information and conduct espionage on foreign soil. The arrest took place in Italy, where FBI agents coordinated with local law enforcement to detain Zewei without incident. Efforts are currently underway to extradite him to the United States to face charges. This move marks a significant escalation in international cybercrime enforcement and underscores growing global concern about state-backed hacking campaigns.
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Newsweek
Chinese Man Accused of Hacking and Stealing Covid Research Arrested—FBI
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Authorities in Italy arrested Xu Zewei, 33, of China on the request of the United States, a statement from the US Department of Justice said Tuesday. Zewei is charged in a nine-count indictment, along with his co-defendant Chinese citizen, Zhang Yu, 44, according to the statement. Both are accused of stealing Covid-19 research from the US while hacking on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security (MSS). The DOJ also alleges the pair stole the Exploitation of Microsoft Exchange Server Vulnerabilities, known publicly as the Indiscriminate 'HAFNIUM' Intrusion Campaign, on behalf of MSS. The hacking is believed to have taken place between February 2020 and June 2021, according to the statement. The DOJ says Zewei is a prolific hacker who worked for a company named Shanghai Powerock Network Co. Ltd. (Powerock) when the hacking occurred. "Powerock was one of many 'enabling' companies in the PRC that conducted hacking for the PRC government," the DOJ statement said. Zewei is expected to be extradited to the United States on these charges. This is a breaking news story. Updates to come. De
