FAYETTEVILLE — Simon Ang, a former University of Arkansas, Fayetteville professor, has pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court today.
The agreement states that "a sentence of one day and one year incarceration is the appropriate sentence in this matter."
The plea agreement also states that Ang and prosecutors "agree that a fine should be imposed in the amount of $5,500."
But sentencing ultimately would be decided by a judge, with U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks presiding over the case.
The agreement states that if the court fails to accept the agreement, "the Defendant will be given an opportunity to withdraw from the plea."
Ang had pleaded not guilty to charges that included 55 counts of wire fraud, most related to his pursuit of NASA and U.S. Air Force research grants.
Prosecutors had stated in charging Ang that he failed to disclose to government funding agencies — and to UA — ties to China and Chinese companies.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys, ahead of a scheduled February trial, had filed separate motions about what evidence might be appropriate to consider.
Ang, in court filings, had argued that while he participated in what is known as a Chinese talent program, testimony about Chinese government talent programs should be excluded at trial.
FBI Director Christopher Wray in a 2020 talk described Chinese talent programs as a government effort "to entice scientists to secretly bring our knowledge and innovation back to China."
Court documents filed by prosecutors referred to Ang's participation in a talent program run by China, also referred to as the People's Republic of China or the PRC.
The U.S. Department of Justice in recent years has pursued economic espionage charges against some researchers working in the U.S. No such charges had been filed against Ang.
The plea agreement, filed in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville, states: "Ang did not list his PRC talent awards on the University of Arkansas annual conflict of interest disclosure forms. He also did not disclose his Chinese patents to the University of Arkansas."
In the plea agreement, it is stated that "Ang's name or Chinese birth name" is on 24 Chinese patents as a co-inventor.
Drew Ledbetter, Ang's attorney, said earlier this month that Ang, 64, was born in Malaysia and has been a U.S. citizen since 1986.
The plea agreement states that Ang was asked by an FBI agent whether he would be listed as the inventor on Chinese patents.
"Ang stated the following: 'Yeah, I am not the inventor, I don't even know what that is,'" the plea agreement states.
The filing today states that if the court accepts the plea agreement, "the government will move to dismiss the remaining counts" against Ang.
Interim U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes and Ledbetter signed the agreement, as did Ang.