Chinese Executives Cleared of Fentanyl Distribution Charges but Convicted on Related Offenses

A Manhattan jury has acquitted two executives of a Chinese chemical company of conspiring to distribute fentanyl in the United States but found them guilty on related charges.

The verdict, delivered on Wednesday and made public on Thursday, cleared Qingzhao Wang, principal executive of Hubei Amarvel Biotech, and Yiyi Chen, the company’s marketing manager, of the top charge, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance.

However, the jury found both Wang and Chen guilty of conspiracy to import a fentanyl precursor chemical, determining that they had reason to believe it would be used to manufacture fentanyl, though without intent to produce the drug themselves. Additionally, they were convicted of conspiracy to launder money.

The U.S. Department of Justice had previously highlighted their 2023 indictment as a major step in combating fentanyl, a highly addictive and deadly opioid that has fueled an ongoing crisis in the country.