19-Year GA Tech Professor Indicted On Visa Fraud Charges

ATLANTA — Federal prosecutors have accused a Georgia Tech professor of violating customs laws to bring Chinese nationals into the country to conduct research at a New Jersey information technology firm.

Prosecutors say Gee-Kung Chang, a 19-year professor at Georgia Tech, also directed funds from the Institute to pay the Chinese nationals for research work they did at ZTE USA, the American subsidiary of the partially state-owned Chinese company ZTE Corp.

According to prosecutors, the 73-year-old Chang of Smyrna, along with former ZTE USA research director Jianju Yu, were charged last week with visa fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

“The defendants allegedly abused the visa program and deceived Georgia Tech to bring researchers into the United States,” Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine said in a statement. “The charges presented are the first step toward holding them accountable.”

Prosecutors claim Chang took advantage of his role at Georgia Tech, a designated sponsor for the U.S. State Department’s J-1 Visa program offering cultural and educational exchange opportunities, to arrange for the foreign nationals to obtain and maintain visitor status in the U.S.

The visas were not intended for employment. But in documents he submitted to the State Department, prosecutors say Chang indicated that the Chinese nationals would be working with him at the Institute. But they instead traveled to and resided in New Jersey where they worked with Yu, and even received salaries from Georgia Tech while working at ZTE, prosecutors said.

A statement from Georgia Tech said Chang was on administrative leave.

“Georgia Tech has cooperated fully with the FBI during its investigation. Dr. Chang will remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of the judicial process. Georgia Tech is committed to the highest standards of integrity in all areas of operation.”

The FBI and U.S. Homeland Security worked together on the investigation.

“Schemes like this not only steal invaluable opportunities from legitimate, hard-working students it also allows scammers to come to the United States and profit from their misdeeds,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Identifying, arresting and prosecuting violators is vital to protect the integrity of our nation’s visa program.”