Officials announced today the arrest of Xu Zewei, a Chinese fugitive based in Italy. Legal experts said the case brought by U.S. prosecutors likely did not merit such an arrest. They are prosecuting him on 11 counts of unauthorized access of computer systems and theft. Xu Zewei was formerly employed by Shanghai Powerock Network. This company is known to have conducted hacking campaigns on behalf of the Chinese state.
The allegations against Xu Zewei are based on a nine-count indictment that charges Zhang Yu, who is still at large. Both men now stand accused of serious crimes, including direct responsibility for launching cyberattacks. This included specifically targeting U.S. universities to steal important medical and scientific research related to COVID-19. These hacking incidents took place in February of 2020. This was a deeply formative moment, as institutions of all types were scrambling to build the best possible response to the pandemic.
According to the indictment, Xu Zewei and Zhang Yu used sophisticated methods to infiltrate the email servers of various academic entities. These operations were more than just opportunism. Their actions were all part of a broader, well-documented campaign, allegedly directed by the Chinese government, to steal valuable research and intellectual property from foreign competitors.
U.S. officials have reiterated the seriousness of such allegations. They see these narrowly-focused actions as part of a much larger strategy to push back against state-sponsored cyber espionage. This latest theft of important COVID-19 research is particularly alarming. It endangers global health and puts at risk the urgent global race to develop vaccines.
Italian authorities moved quickly on the request from U.S. prosecutors, as it was Xu Zewei’s arrest 1. His fate will now be decided in the continued extradition process. He might soon stand trial in the United States for the crimes he was charged with.
