Simon Ang
A former University of Arkansas professor on Friday pleaded guilty to lying to federal authorities about his financial and business ties to China.
Simon Saw-Teong Ang, 64, of Fayetteville, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with making a materially false and fictitious statement and representation to an FBI agent.
Authorities said Ang, who started working at the U of A in 1988, received money and benefits from China at the same time he was receiving federal grants for university projects. He was required to disclose his connections to China under the university’s conflict-of-interest policy, but did not.
More: Read the plea agreement here.
When authorities questioned Ang about 24 patents filed in China under his birth name, he allegedly denied any link to the inventions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas said in a news release.
Ang also received “talent awards” from the Chinese government during his time at the university. The FBI says such awards are incentives in a program to steal foreign technology to advance Chinese interests.
More: Read the indictment here.
Ang’s indictment was announced in July 2020. Along with the charge of lying to investigators, he was charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and passport fraud. As part of his plea deal, he faces a maximum of five years in prison.
But the agreement also states that if the court wishes to sentence Ang to a sentence that is not a year and a day in federal prison, Ang will have the right to withdraw from the plea agreement.
A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors, according to the release.
Ang is expected to be sentenced in about four months.
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