A federal investigation is underway after authorities discovered what they describe as a possible illegal biological laboratory inside a Las Vegas home, with investigators now linking the site to a similar and highly scrutinized case in California.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), working alongside the FBI, served a search warrant Saturday at an east valley residence near Washington Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill says officers found “refrigerators containing vials filled with unknown liquids,” prompting concerns about potential biological materials.
Property records identify the homeowner as Jiabei Zhu, who also goes by the name David He. He is currently in federal custody after being charged in connection with an alleged illegal biological laboratory discovered in Reedley, California. Authorities say He owns both properties.
Following the Las Vegas search, the FBI executed a new warrant Sunday at He’s Reedley home, according to a FOX affiliate in Fresno. That California lab was first uncovered in 2022 during a code enforcement inspection, when officials found thousands of vials labeled with names of pathogens such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, and Ebola, according to a report from the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Investigators also found mice that were allegedly genetically modified to simulate human immune systems. Officials stated several workers assisting with the investigation became ill after exposure to the animals. The Reedley lab was near a residential neighborhood, a high school, and a local water supply.
In 2023, a federal grand jury indicted He and his romantic partner on charges including manufacturing and distributing misbranded medical devices and making false statements to the Food and Drug Administration. Prosecutors later added fraud and conspiracy charges in 2024.
The U.S. Department of Justice said the case centers on one of He’s businesses, which allegedly operated out of the Reedley lab and fraudulently sold COVID-19 test kits between August 2020 and March 2023, generating more than $1.7 million.
Business records show He owns multiple companies, including Prestige Biotech Incorporated, which holds a Nevada business license set to expire later this year. Federal authorities have also said He was a fugitive from Canada at the time of his 2023 arrest, wanted in connection with companies tied to the Chinese dairy industry.
Back in Las Vegas, police announced the arrest of the home’s property manager, though investigators said his role in the lab remains under investigation. LVMPD identified the man as 55-year-old Ori Solomon, who faces state charges of disposing of and discharging hazardous waste. A criminal complaint also alleges Solomon violated the terms of his visa by owning six firearms, leading to a federal charge.
Investigators said three individuals who were independently renting rooms in the Las Vegas home were safely removed and are not considered suspects at this time.
According to police and court documents, the investigation began after tips about lab equipment, medical waste, and strong odors inside the home, which was also a short-term rental. Witnesses reported locked areas of the house, multiple refrigerators in the garage, and an odor described as “stale” and “hospital-like.” Authorities said at least two people became severely ill after entering the garage area.
The investigation into both the Las Vegas and California properties remains active.
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