Kansas researcher to mount defense over China ties at trial

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The trial of a researcher accused of illegally keeping secret work he was doing for China while employed at the University of Kansas has resumed with defense attorneys trying to cast doubt on the government’s handling of his prosecution. Feng “Franklin” Tao faces charges of wire and program fraud for allegedly not disclosing on conflict-of-interest forms the work he was doing for China. The FBI agent who oversaw the investigation testified Monday that he didn’t learn until after the professor’s arrest that was keeping up with his grant work and actually had been honored for his high output.