A University of Wyoming student was arrested after police say she tried to poison a colleague, then attempted to flee to China when officers questioned her.
Aili Wang, 32, was questioned by campus police after surveillance cameras set up by a coworker experiencing medical symptoms allegedly caught her rinsing his mug with liquid from her own cup on Oct. 1, according to a University of Wyoming police affidavit, which added that she was seen on camera “taking photos and manipulating notebooks.”
Wang didn’t get along with the coworker, who wasn’t named in court documents. Surveillance footage allegedly showed Wang searching through the victim’s desk; the victim specialized in disease treatment technology, work similar to what she had done in China.
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The liquid was identified as acrylamide, a chemical that can “cause a number of health problems, including cancer,” according to the American Cancer Society. According to authorities, Wang purchased the chemical through eBay. It was discovered after the victim’s wife ran a test on water taken from the coffee maker he used to brew tea.
When questioned by campus police on Oct. 5, Wang said she “had not used acrylamide in years,” according to court documents. She was arrested one day later on Oct. 6 at Los Angeles International Airport and prosecutors allege she was attempting to return to China, where she is from.
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When she was arrested, Wang was found with “multiple laptops, multiple portable external digital storage devices, related accessories, physical records and written materials,” according to a request from prosecutors to increase her $200,000 bond after being extradited back to Wyoming. Her bond was increased to $1.5 million cash-only.
The affidavit states that the victim’s work was federally funded research involving “new technology for cancer, neurological and genetic disease treatment,” and stated Wang didn’t have a reason to be going through his desk.
Mark Gomelsky, a microbiology professor at the University of Wyoming who oversaw both graduate students, told Fox News Digital it has been a “horrifying and surreal experience.”
He told The Associated Press, “It’s been disheartening, to say the least, to see that one of your student’s life is in jeopardy and another student may be responsible for that.”
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“That was one of the worst shocks in my professional career,” Gomelsky said.
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According to Gomelsky, the victim is a highly successful student from Vietnam. Gomelsky said Wang did not pass her first dissertation defense and became envious of her colleague’s achievement in finding a way to use bacteria to deliver RNA to human cells.
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The professor said the victim suddenly experienced extreme tiredness and an inability to sleep shortly after attending a prestigious conference in August.
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Gomelsky said the victim is still experiencing symptoms from the alleged poisoning, which include not being able to focus.
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“Acrylamide is a neurotoxin that cannot be neutralized so it stays in neurons and basically kills them. So it’s unclear if he’ll fully recover or not,” Gomelsky said.
The suspect hadn’t been doing work in the lab since June as she was working on her dissertation, Gomelsky said.
Wang was charged with aggravated assault and battery in Wyoming, which carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a $10,000 fine.
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Tak Sumaya, an assistant professor at the University of Wyoming who helped identify the chemical allegedly used to poison the male victim, said he was working on “a pretty promising cancer therapy method.”
A University of Wyoming spokesman pointed Fox News Digital to a statement from its president.
“The university takes matters involving the health and safety of the campus community seriously and remains committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors,” University of Wyoming President Shane Reeves said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Wang for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
