Wyoming grad student allegedly poisoned her colleague, tried to flee U.S.: "Student's life is in jeopardy"
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Wyoming grad student allegedly poisoned her colleague, tried to flee U.S.: "Student's life is in jeopardy"

CBS News • • nation

Key Points:

  • Aili Wang, a 32-year-old microbiology graduate student from China, was arrested at LAX for allegedly poisoning a colleague's tea with acrylamide, a toxic chemical, and attempting to flee to China; police found laptops and documents in her possession linked to the case.
  • The victim, a high-achieving Vietnamese student working on cancer and genetic disease treatment technology, experienced severe symptoms after attending a conference, prompting an investigation that revealed acrylamide contamination in his coffee maker water.
  • Surveillance footage showed Wang rummaging through the victim's desk and manipulating his notebooks, despite their conflicting research areas and personal animosity; Wang reportedly purchased acrylamide twice via eBay and tried to delete her account afterward.
  • The victim continues to suffer neurological symptoms due to acrylamide poisoning, which is a neurotoxin that may cause permanent nerve damage; the overseeing professor expressed shock and concern over the student's condition and the alleged attack.
  • Wang faces felony aggravated assault and battery charges in Wyoming with potential penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine; her bail was raised to $1.5 million cash-only pending extradition, while a similar poisoning case in California highlighted workplace chemical attacks.

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