When Jesse Jia-Bei Zhu departed British Columbia in 2015, he carried a six-month jail term and a significant B.C. Supreme Court ruling stemming from his failed aspirations to dominate the bull semen industry globally. Nearly ten years later, Zhu, a cunning entrepreneur, finds himself entangled in perplexing and disquieting allegations linked to two biolabs in California and Nevada stocked with potentially hazardous substances.
Authorities uncovered a suspected laboratory in a Las Vegas residence last weekend, which Zhu had proposed for his stay while awaiting trial for distributing adulterated COVID-19 tests across the U.S. Despite losing his release bid, Zhu remains in pre-trial detention since his 2023 arrest following the discovery of another biological lab in Fresno County, California, containing test mice and vials labeled with diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Zhu, a dual Chinese and Canadian citizen, faces challenges at the same correctional facility where he confronts efforts by XY LLC to enforce B.C. Supreme Court judgments totaling over $270 million for misappropriating valuable bull sexing technology. Amid these legal battles, Zhu asserts his innocence against all accusations.
Court documents from both Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions shed light on Zhu’s complex journey that thrust him into the spotlight in both countries. The legal records also raise concerns about Zhu-connected companies’ questionable acquisition of government grants and alleged deception involving investment tied to immigration.
Zhu’s legal woes trace back to his move from China to Canada in 1988, his ventures in B.C., and his subsequent permanent departure in 2015, marked by his last border-crossing into Los Angeles. Legal proceedings reveal his evasion tactics, including fears of arrest linked to his civil contempt sentence in Canada for involvement in the XY LLC lawsuit.
Despite facing setbacks in court battles with XY LLC, Zhu persisted in setting up a new entity secretly producing sexed semen using the company’s technology, aiming to sell the product and technology in China. Zhu’s grandiose plans to undermine XY LLC led to a monumental $270 million damages ruling against him, prompting his disappearance.
Zhu resurfaced in Reedley, California, where law enforcement discovered a suspicious warehouse setup, allegedly operated by Zhu under the alias David He. The facility contained numerous vials of biological substances, raising concerns of potential pathogen transportation. Zhu faced charges for selling unapproved COVID-19 test kits in the U.S., leading to a civil suit against U.S. health officials for allegedly maligning his company.
The investigation further connected Zhu to a Las Vegas biolab raid, with FBI involvement at both the California and Nevada sites. Police arrested a property manager related to the Las Vegas lab, but Zhu faced no charges in that case. As Zhu awaits trial in April, his legal battles continue, with XY LLC pursuing judgments in Canada and Hong Kong.
XY LLC remains tight-lipped on Zhu’s legal saga, maintaining ongoing litigation in Canadian courts. Zhu’s legal maneuvers, including attempts to delay proceedings, have drawn criticism from XY LLC for obstructing the legal process. The legal back-and-forth underscores the complexity and intensity of Zhu’s legal entanglements across borders.
