Do Son 
In Indiana, a prominent professor renowned for his work in cryptography, privacy, and system security has mysteriously vanished. Days before a series of FBI raids, his university profile disappeared from the institution’s website, his work-related contact details were disabled, and references to his spouse—also employed at the same university—were quietly removed.
The individual in question is Xiaofeng Wang, a veteran professor with 21 years of service at Indiana University, where he served as Associate Dean for Research at the School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. A distinguished member of both IEEE and AAAS, Wang had secured over $23 million in research funding and was credited with numerous scholarly publications on data protection, including biometric and genetic privacy.
Coinciding with the removal of Wang’s and his wife Ma Nianli’s profiles from the university system, federal agents executed search warrants at their residences in Bloomington and Carmel. According to local media reports, unmarked vehicles arrived on-site, and agents were seen removing boxes and photographing the interiors for several hours. At one location, a family attorney was reportedly present.
Notably, the university has declined to comment on the employment status of Wang and Ma, while the FBI has confirmed the execution of “authorized law enforcement actions” but refused to disclose further details. It remains unclear whether the search was sanctioned by a federal court or what jurisdiction it may have involved. An agency spokesperson limited their statement to a vague acknowledgment of “authorized activity,” offering no elaboration.
Colleagues of Professor Wang have expressed deep concern over the unfolding events. Academics noted that despite Wang’s close ties to students and peers, no one had reported him missing for over two weeks—an absence that struck many as deeply unusual. Another faculty member voiced astonishment at how swiftly and quietly all mentions of Wang had been scrubbed from the university’s website, especially considering the typically complex legal process required to revoke a tenured position.
The raids followed standard federal protocols: the professor’s home was surrounded, and FBI agents used a loudspeaker to call out those inside. In video footage, a woman is seen emerging with a phone, which was immediately confiscated. After a brief on-site interrogation, agents began their search. Later, the woman returned accompanied by an attorney, and agents subsequently departed with several boxes of potential evidence.
At present, it remains unknown whether Wang and Ma have been detained or even if they are U.S. citizens. The nature of the investigation is also under tight wraps. Numerous press inquiries submitted to the Department of Justice and federal law enforcement have so far gone unanswered. What is known, however, is that the couple is no longer reachable via any of their previously available communication channels.
The story continues to deepen with unanswered questions: What prompted such a swift and forceful federal intervention? Why did the university so rapidly distance itself from one of its most esteemed researchers? And most of all—where is the missing couple? Given the scale of the operation and the silence from official channels, the matter may well involve national security or sensitive technological research.
