FBI Searches Homes of Xiaofeng Wang

Bloomington, IN – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a court-authorized search at the Bloomington and Carmel, Indiana residences of Xiaofeng Wang, a tenured professor in Indiana University (IU) Bloomington’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, and his wife, Nianli Ma, who works as a lead systems analyst and programmer at IU Libraries, on Friday, March 28, 2025.¹ The same day, Indiana University abruptly terminated Professor Wang’s employment and removed both individuals’ profiles from the university’s website.¹

The rapid sequence of events has ignited concerns about academic freedom and due process, with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) alleging that IU violated its own policies regarding the termination of tenured faculty.¹ As of the latest reports, the specific reasons for the FBI’s actions remain undisclosed, and the current whereabouts of Professor Wang and his wife are unknown.¹

Professor Xiaofeng Wang Under Scrutiny

Professor Xiaofeng Wang had been a long-standing faculty member at Indiana University Bloomington for over two decades, focusing his research on system security and data privacy, with expertise in mobile and cloud computing security and the privacy of human genomic data.¹ He also held significant administrative roles, including Director of IU’s Center for Security and Privacy in Informatics, Computing, and Engineering (SPICE).¹ His extensive research attracted over $20 million in funding from federal government agencies.¹ Professor Wang was a highly respected figure in his field, holding prestigious fellowships in IEEE, AAAS, and ACM.⁴ His wife, Nianli Ma, was also employed by the university at IU Libraries.¹

FBI Activity and Evidence Removal

On the morning of March 28th, FBI agents, with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security in Bloomington, conducted searches at the couple’s homes in Bloomington and Carmel.¹ Neighbors in Bloomington reported a day-long presence of FBI agents who were seen removing boxes of evidence.¹ In Carmel, agents used a megaphone to announce their presence before a woman, believed to be Nianli Ma, exited the residence and was questioned; her phone was reportedly confiscated.² Later, an attorney was seen arriving at the Carmel home with the woman.² While the FBI confirmed the “court-authorized law enforcement activity” at both locations, a spokesperson declined to provide further details.¹ The FBI did confirm that the activities at both residences were connected.¹

University’s Swift Response and Lack of Transparency

Indiana University’s response mirrored the FBI’s timeline, with Professor Wang’s termination occurring on the same day as the searches.¹ Both his and Nianli Ma’s profiles were quickly removed from the university’s website.² In a brief statement, IU acknowledged the federal investigation but stated they would refrain from public comment at the FBI’s direction and would not comment on the employment status of the involved individual.¹ It was later revealed that Provost Rahul Shrivastav informed Professor Wang via email of his termination, citing his acceptance of a faculty position at a university in Singapore and instructing him to return all university property to the IU Police Department.¹ Notably, reports indicate Professor Wang had been placed on administrative leave weeks prior to the FBI search, with his university email and phone disconnected at that time.⁸

AAUP Alleges Policy Violation

The Bloomington chapter of the AAUP has strongly condemned Professor Wang’s termination, asserting that Indiana University violated its own policies regarding the dismissal of tenured faculty.¹ In a letter to the IU Provost, the AAUP cited university policy ACA-52, Section D, which outlines procedures for involuntary dismissal, including required notice and a hearing before the Faculty Board of Review . The AAUP argues that the university failed to provide Professor Wang with due process and emphasized the principle of presumption of innocence.² They have called on IU to revoke the termination and ensure Professor Wang receives the mandated notice and hearing . University policy ACA-52 specifies that termination of a tenured professor can only occur for incompetence, serious misconduct, or financial exigency, following a process that includes private conferences, written notification, and a hearing .

Potential National Security Context

Given Professor Wang’s research in cybersecurity and data privacy, coupled with significant federal funding, the FBI investigation may be linked to national security concerns . This situation has drawn comparisons to the Department of Justice’s former “China Initiative,” which aimed to counter alleged espionage and intellectual property theft, often facing criticism for disproportionately targeting Chinese-American researchers . Chinese media outlets have already noted Professor Wang’s heritage in this context.⁶ Adding to the mystery, Professor Wang and his wife have reportedly not been seen publicly for some time.⁴ Despite the FBI searches and the university’s termination, no criminal charges have been publicly filed .

Timeline of Events:

Date (if available)	Event
Several weeks prior to March 28, 2025	Professor Wang placed on administrative leave by Indiana University; his university email and phone disconnected.
Friday, March 28, 2025 (Morning)	FBI agents execute court-authorized search warrants at Professor Xiaofeng Wang and Nianli Ma’s residences in Bloomington and Carmel, Indiana. Department of Homeland Security assists in Bloomington. Agents seen removing boxes. In Carmel, agents announce their presence via megaphone; a woman believed to be Nianli Ma exits the residence and is questioned; her phone is taken.
Friday, March 28, 2025 (Same Day)	Indiana University terminates Professor Xiaofeng Wang’s employment and removes both his and Nianli Ma’s profiles from the university website. IU Provost Rahul Shrivastav sends Professor Wang an email informing him of the termination, referencing his acceptance of a position in Singapore and instructing him to return university property.
Friday, March 28, 2025 (Afternoon)	A lawyer is seen arriving at the Carmel residence with the woman believed to be Nianli Ma.
Friday, March 28, 2025 (Evening)	Indiana University releases an official statement acknowledging a federal investigation involving a faculty member and stating they will not comment further at the direction of the FBI. They also state they will not comment on employment status.
Saturday, March 29, 2025	News of the FBI activity and Professor Wang’s termination begins to circulate widely in the media.
Monday, March 31, 2025	The Bloomington chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) sends a letter to the IU Provost protesting Professor Wang’s termination, alleging violations of university policy ACA-52 regarding due process for tenured faculty. They call for the university to revoke the termination and provide the required notice and hearing.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025	No new official statements or significant updates from the FBI, Indiana University, or Professor Wang/Nianli Ma have been publicly reported as of the latest information.

Unanswered Questions Loom

The situation remains fluid, with several key questions unanswered: the specific focus of the FBI investigation, whether any charges will be filed, the exact reasons behind IU’s swift termination, and the current whereabouts of Professor Wang and Nianli Ma. The AAUP’s protest and any subsequent response from Indiana University will also be closely watched. The case raises important questions about the balance between national security concerns, academic freedom, and the due process rights of university faculty.

Sources:

1. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.idsnews.com/article/2025/03/iu-professor-xiaofeng-wang-fbi-raid-terminated)
2. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/iu-professor-terminated-after-fbi-searches-his-homes.php)
3. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/fbi-activity-indiana-university-bloomington-professor-home-search-xiaofeng-wang/531-5cf8b22c-5456-436b-b476-51985a16499c)
4. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/news/local/fbi-searches-home-of-iu-professor-he-is-removed-from-faculty/article_ca1b2126-ed6f-5422-a497-5b216c794953.html)
5. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://fox59.com/news/fbi-investigates-iu-professor-searches-bloomington-and-carmel-homes/)
6. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1288367.shtml)
7. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://awards.acm.org/fellows/award-winners/wang-xiaofeng)
8. (https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/governance/2025/04/01/aaup-protests-termination-indiana-u-professor)
9. (https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&source=gmail&q=https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/indianapolis) 10.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/indianapolis/news%23archive202503) 11.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/indianapolis/news%23archive202504) 12.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://facultyguide.indiana.edu/policies/aca-52.html) 13.(Insert Archived Link if Found) 14.(Insert Link if Found) 15.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.aaup.org/file/Redbook-revised.pdf) 16.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.aaup.org/issues/tenure) 17.(https://www.justice.gov/nsd) 18.(Insert Relevant Links if Found) 19.(Insert Links if Found) 20.(Insert Links if Found) 21.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-ends-china-initiative) 22.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/04/09/1022358/us-government-china-initiative-researchers-arrests/) 23.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00356-x) 24.(https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.aaup.org/our-work/research/china-initiative) 25.(Insert Link if Found) 26.(Insert Link if Found) 27.(Insert Relevant Links if Found)

Disclaimer: This news report is based on publicly available information from news sources and official websites as of the date and time indicated. The situation is ongoing, and new information may emerge that could alter the details and conclusions presented here.

Works cited

1. Indiana security prof and wife vanish after FBI raid – The Register, accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/31/indiana_cybersecurity_professor_fbi/
2. BREAKING: IU terminated professor the same day the FBI searched his homes, accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.idsnews.com/article/2025/03/wang-xiaofeng-iu-luddy-fbi-search
3. IU professor allegedly fired after FBI raids on homes in Carmel and Bloomington, accessed March 31, 2025, https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/after-fbi-raids-on-homes-union-defends-iu-professor-xiaofeng-wang-indiana-university-carmel-bloomington-termination-provost-letter/531-3c9b9625-c4f9-4f6a-ac80-1325f1da491d
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5. Xiaofeng Wang (computer scientist) – Wikipedia, accessed March 31, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaofeng_Wang
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