World · North America · 1 hr ago
Wyoming graduate student arrested over alleged tea poisoning
Aili Wang, a 32-year-old graduate student from China, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Oct.
6, after prosecutors alleged she tried to return to China.
She is accused of poisoning a colleague’s tea at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming.
The colleague became ill, and acrylamide was found in water from the coffee maker used to brew his tea.
Police say surveillance footage showed Wang going through his desk and handling items there; the two students did not get along, according to an affidavit.
The colleague’s research involved disease-treatment technology and had pending patents, while Wang had done similar work in China.
Wang faces a felony aggravated assault and battery charge and remained jailed in Los Angeles without bail in the latest reports.
A Wyoming judge raised her bond to $1.5 million cash-only, but it is not clear when she could be extradited to Wyoming.
Aili Wang, a 32-year-old Wyoming microbiology graduate student from China, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on accusations she poisoned a colleague’s tea.
Prosecutors allege she tried to return to China after police questioned her.
The alleged victim became ill, and acrylamide was found in water from the coffee maker he used to brew tea.
Campus police surveillance allegedly recorded Wang going through his desk and handling items there.
Wang faces an aggravated assault and battery charge in Wyoming and remained jailed without bail in Los Angeles.
- Who
- Aili Wang, a 32-year-old microbiology graduate student, is accused. Her colleague is identified in court documents as K.T.
- What
- Wang is accused of poisoning her colleague’s tea with acrylamide and trying to leave the United States after police questioned her.
- When
- Wang was arrested on Oct. 6. The alleged surveillance recordings were made on Sept. 27 and Oct. 1.
- Where
- The alleged poisoning occurred at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. Wang was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport.
- Why
- The sources say Wang and the alleged victim did not get along and that his research involved pending patents. They do not establish a motive.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The alleged victim began experiencing extreme tiredness, difficulty sleeping and other unexplained symptoms after attending a conference.
Campus police surveillance allegedly recorded Wang going through the alleged victim’s desk.
Wang was allegedly recorded taking photos and handling notebooks on the desk, then rinsing the victim’s mug with liquid from her own mug.
Wang was interviewed by campus police and allegedly said she had not used acrylamide in years.
Wang was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport.
- Arrest
- Oct. 6, 2026
- Location
- Los Angeles International Airport
- University
- University of Wyoming, Laramie
- Chemical
- Acrylamide
- Charge
- Wyoming aggravated assault and battery
- Bond
- A Wyoming judge raised bond to $1.5 million cash-only
3 sources
What people are saying
That was one of the worst shocks in my professional career.
It's been disheartening, to say the least, to see that one of your student's life is in jeopardy and another student may be responsible for that.