Hampton, Va. — The National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) is pleased to learn that Dr. Bo Jiang a former NIA employee who conducted research at NASA’s Langley Research Center was exonerated yesterday in federal court of the felony charge of lying to federal investigators. This single charge had led to him being detained at the Chesapeake City Jail for the past six weeks while the FBI conducted a thorough investigation. After the charge was dropped, Dr. Jiang was released from custody yesterday and is returning home to China with his family.

According to the statement of facts from the court, nine computers and storage devices were examined for their contents during the investigation. “None of the computer media that Jiang attempted to bring to the (China) on March 16, 2013, contained classified information, export controlled information, or NASA proprietary information,” according to the statement of facts filed in the case.

Dr. Douglas Stanley, president and executive director of NIA remarked, “From the beginning of this investigation, we have cooperated with federal authorities to ensure the facts came to light.” He added, “We are very pleased that Dr. Jiang was exonerated on all charges and implications of export control violations, espionage and lying to federal officials. We were confident in his innocence and happy to see that our judicial system eventually reached the correct conclusion.”

Jiang’s work as a research scientist at NIA was part of the institution’s ongoing support of NASA and the aerospace industry to improve aviation safety. Dr. Jiang’s research, as all research performed by NIA, went through multiple export control reviews by NIA and NASA and his work was always ruled to be fundamental research that was not export controlled. NIA remains committed to protecting all export controlled data and to vigilant adherence to all applicable federal security rules, policies and procedures as we employ the best and brightest researchers and scientists who use their skills and talents every day to make the world a better place.

To learn more about the National Institute of Aerospace, visit: www.nianet.org

Timothy Allen
National Institute of Aerospace,
Hampton, Va.
757-325-6723
timothy.allen@nianet.org