Convicted Fraudster Jia Bei Zhu's Deceptive COVID-19 Test Scheme Exposed
A 64-year-old Chinese national, Jia Bei Zhu, has been found guilty by a federal jury for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme in Fresno that involved selling over a million faulty COVID-19 tests across the country for nearly $4 million. Zhu's company, Universal Meditech Inc., marketed the tests as FDA-authorized, despite their inaccuracies and deceptive labeling. The jury convicted Zhu on multiple charges, including wire fraud, distributing adulterated medical devices, and making false statements to the FDA. His actions were deemed exploitative and dangerous during a critical public health crisis.
Zhu's partner, Zhaoyan Wang, is also implicated in the case but has fled to China and is currently a fugitive from justice. Employees of Universal Meditech testified that Zhu pressured them to deceive customers and that they feared repercussions if they did not comply. Victims reported receiving incomplete tests that were unable to detect COVID, highlighting the scheme's fraudulent nature. The investigation into the scheme began in 2022 when a victim filed a lawsuit against the company, leading to the discovery of unsanitary conditions at the Fresno facility.
The inspection of Universal Meditech's facility revealed substandard conditions and improper storage of pathogens and toxins, indicating a failed attempt to manufacture COVID tests on-site. Zhu's efforts to evade legal action by relocating the company to Reedley and changing its name were unsuccessful, prompting the FDA to launch an investigation. Zhu's false identity claims and past history of misconduct at a Canadian company further incriminated him in the fraudulent scheme. The FBI and FDA, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, conducted the investigation that led to Zhu's conviction.
Zhu is set to be sentenced in August 2026 and faces significant prison time for his involvement in the fraudulent scheme. The case serves as a reminder of the consequences of exploiting public health crises for personal gain and the importance of upholding regulatory standards in the medical industry.