Prosecutors seek to drop charges against Temple professor

 A Temple flag hangs above Sullivan Hall on the Temple University campus. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

A Temple flag hangs above Sullivan Hall on the Temple University campus. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Federal prosecutors are seeking to dismiss charges against a Temple University professor who was accused of scheming to provide secret U.S. technology to China.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia filed a motion Friday to dismiss four counts of wire fraud against the professor, Xi Xiaoxing.

In its filing in federal court in Philadelphia, the government says only that the motion is based on “additional information” it received since the charges against the 57-year-old professor were filed in May.

His daughter, Joyce Xi, says the family is relieved the charges are being dropped. She says it’s been a difficult time for the family.

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

Xi was chairman of the university’s physics department until his arrest. He remains a faculty member. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal