Executive Summary
Laws and Precedent
A Minneola man, Gregory Muñoz, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain laboratory research products for illegal export to China. U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven also ordered Muñoz, 47, to forfeit $100,000 as proceeds of the fraud, following his guilty plea on May 9, 2024.
Conspiracy Details and Co-Conspirators
Muñoz conspired with Pen Yu and Jonathan Thyng in a scheme that spanned from at least July 2016 through May 2023. Yu, who pleaded guilty in May 2024, was initially sentenced to three years and seven months in prison, later reduced to two years and six months. Thyng, who pleaded guilty in July 2024, received a probation sentence.
According to court documents, Yu placed orders for biochemical products from MilliporeSigma, falsely claiming affiliation with a Florida university biology lab. Muñoz assisted Yu in these fraudulent orders, which secured millions of dollars in unauthorized discounts and benefits, including free shipping, not available to the general public. In exchange for his assistance, Yu provided Muñoz with thousands of dollars in gift cards.
Scheme Execution and Discovery
Once the products arrived at the university, a stockroom employee diverted them to Yu. Yu then repackaged the biochemical products and shipped them to China, often making false statements about the shipments’ value and contents to facilitate the illegal export.
The elaborate scheme eventually unraveled when MilliporeSigma compliance personnel identified a pattern of suspicious orders. The company then engaged outside counsel, who promptly disclosed the misconduct to the Department of Justice’s National Security Division within a week. MilliporeSigma’s cooperation was instrumental, allowing investigators to swiftly identify and apprehend the individuals involved in the fraudulent operation.
