Chinese national arrested in Italy over Covid research hack: What we know so far

A 33-year-old Chinese man from Shanghai has been arrested in Italy on allegations of industrial espionage connected to a US investigation into cyberattacks on Covid-19 research facilities, Reuters reported. The man, identified as Xu Zewei, was detained last week at Milan’s Malpensa airport after arriving in Italy.

He was apprehended on a US arrest warrant issued as part of an ongoing FBI probe. Zewei, however, has denied all allegations against him, claiming he is the victim of mistaken identity.

What are the allegations?

According to US authorities, Zewei was allegedly part of a group that in 2020 hacked into networks associated with US-based universities, immunologists, and virologists involved in Covid-19 research. The hackers are accused of targeting efforts related to testing, treatment, and vaccine development, including breaching a research university in the Southern District of Texas.

The charges listed in the arrest warrant include wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and unauthorised access to protected computers.

Reuters reported that the arrest stems from a broader FBI investigation into cyber intrusions during the height of the global pandemic.

What does the accused say?

Zewei is fighting extradition to the United States, claiming authorities have the wrong person.

“He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account,” Reuters reported his lawyer Enrico Giarda as saying, following the closed-door extradition hearing in Milan.

Giarda also noted that Zewei told the court his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone was stolen in 2020 – the same year when the alleged cyberattacks occurred.

What happens next?

“We are now waiting for the U.S. authorities to send us the investigation files so that we can understand how they came to identify him as the perpetrator,” Giarda said.

According to international extradition procedures, Washington now has 40 days to submit supporting documentation to Italian authorities. Giarda added that Zewei’s legal team may request house arrest as the case proceeds.

The case comes amid growing scrutiny over alleged cyber operations linked to Chinese actors targeting sensitive US infrastructure and research institutions, particularly during the pandemic.