US Climate Change Expert Got Paid By China

MIAMI, FL — One of the world's foremost experts on ocean-atmosphere interaction, climate change, and hurricanes has been sentenced by a federal judge to time served for a double-dipping scheme in which he was being paid by the Chinese government while he worked for the U.S. government. Prosecutors said that 56-year-old Chunzai Wang was employed as a research oceanographer in the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory at the time. The agency is part of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg in Miami announced the sentence on Thursday along with Special Agent In Charge George Lee of the Department of Commerce Investigations and Threat Management Division; Special Agent In Charge Duane Townsend of the department's Office of Inspector General and FBI Special Agent In Charge Robert F. Lasky in Miami.

"Wang knowingly and willfully received a salary for his services as an employee of NOAA/AOML, from the People’s Republic of China, Changjiang Scholars Program," according to federal prosecutors.

Officials said that Wang entered into contractual agreements to work on China’s Changjiang Scholars Program and its 973 Program beginning in 2010. The 973 program mobilizes scientific talents to strengthen basic research in line with China's national strategic targets.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Walleisa.

Photo courtesy Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse