Xiaofeng Wang, a prominent cybersecurity professor at Indiana University, has now reportedly mysteriously vanished along with his wife, Nianli Ma, amid significant legal turmoil.
Their disappearance coincided with FBI raids on their residences, which have raised alarm among colleagues and the academic community.
In a startling development, Indiana University removed Wang’s professor profile, email, and phone number from its website shortly before the raids, leading to questions about the circumstances surrounding the couple’s sudden absence.
Wang, who has dedicated over 20 years to research in cryptography, privacy, and cybersecurity, held several prestigious positions, including associate dean for research at the Luddy School of Informatics.
He has received substantial funding for research projects totaling nearly $23 million and coauthored numerous papers on various topics related to data security and privacy.
The FBI’s actions on March 29 included several unmarked vehicles surrounding the couple’s home in Bloomington, Indiana.
Agents reportedly spent hours sifting through their property and also conducted a search at a second home in Carmel.
Despite these activities, it remains unclear why the couple is under investigation, as no related documents have surfaced in federal court dockets.
Colleagues and fellow academics have expressed concern about the situation on social media, with some noting that it’s alarming for an established faculty member to be erased from university records so suddenly.
Matthew Green, a cryptography expert at Johns Hopkins University, described the events as “not normal” and highlighted the troubling implications for academic freedom.
As investigators continue their work, both Wang and Ma’s current status remains unknown, leaving friends and colleagues anxious for updates on their welfare and the nature of the ongoing inquiry.
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