Aili Wang, a 32-year-old microbiology graduate student from China, was arrested on 6 October at Los Angeles international airport. Prosecutors allege she was attempting to return to China after being questioned by police.
Wang is accused of poisoning the tea of a colleague in Wyoming, with whom she reportedly did not get along and who had pending patents. Police allege Wang was seen on surveillance video rummaging through the victim's desk.
The chemical acrylamide was allegedly bought by Wang over eBay and was detected after the alleged victim's wife and others tested water from the coffee maker he used. The victim, identified as "KT" in court documents, began experiencing symptoms including extreme tiredness and a strange taste in his tea.
Wang faces a felony aggravated assault and battery charge in Wyoming, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. She remains jailed without bail in Los Angeles, and it is not clear when she could be extradited.