July 29, 2024 — In a unique twist to the saga of the illegal bio lab discovered in Reedley, a local code enforcement officer’s discovery has been immortalized in a comic book titled “The Known Unknown.” This graphic narrative, now being distributed for free outside San Diego Comic-Con, sheds light on the clandestine operations that unfolded at 850 I Street, Reedley, from October 2022 to spring 2023.
The comic book, designed by Joshua Coleman of Reform Pharma, captures the efforts of Code Enforcement Officer Jesalyn Harper, who first alerted authorities after spotting suspicious activity at the warehouse. Harper’s keen eye noticed a green water hose protruding from the building, prompting an investigation by the City of Reedley and subsequent involvement of Fresno County health officials.
In December 2022, Harper responded to complaints about vehicles parked at the loading dock of an abandoned warehouse. Upon arrival, she noticed a foul smell and saw a hose coming out of a wall. She knocked on the door, and a woman in a lab coat answered. There were also two other people with plastic gloves and blue surgical masks, packing pregnancy tests. Harper noted they spoke “broken English” and claimed to be from China. Inside, she found refrigerators and ultralow-temperature freezers connected to illegal electrical wiring, vials of blood and jars of urine on shelves, and several hundred white lab mice in crowded, soiled containers.
The women in the warehouse claimed the owner lived in China and provided Harper with a phone number and email address before asking her to leave. Harper then contacted Fresno County health officials and the FBI. Communication with the owner, Xiuqin Yao, the president of Prestige BioTech, proved difficult, and the exact operator of the lab could not be determined, leading officials to move forward with abatement.
In March 2023, an inspection revealed “potentially infectious agents” including chlamydia, E. coli, hepatitis B and C, herpes 1 and 5, rubella, malaria, coronavirus, streptococcus pneumonia, and HIV. Over a hundred mice were found dead, and several hundred were later euthanized. Nina Hahn, a vet formerly contracted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, examined the mice and confirmed they were used to grow COVID-19 antibody cells for test kits.
Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba revealed that state and federal officials initially advised the city not to share information about the lab. Privately funded research labs are not required to register with the government, and there is currently no federal body regulating private medical labs. Senior counsel from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce has recently reached out to Zieba for input on relevant law changes.
In October 2023, it was reported that the company behind the lab, Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI), threatened to sue the City of Reedley and Fresno County for $80 million in damage claims, alleging improper seizure and unauthorized law enforcement activities. The owner of the lab, Jia Bei Zhu, also known as Jesse Zhu, Qiang He, and David He, was arrested for making false claims to federal officials and for manufacturing and distributing misbranded medical devices. Zhu’s first court appearance was set for October 20, 2023, in Fresno’s federal courthouse.
“The Known Unknown” vividly portrays Harper’s persistence amidst bureaucratic challenges, including a dismissive initial response from the CDC, which ultimately led to a congressional inquiry and international scrutiny of the lab’s operations. The comic underscores broader implications for public safety and the importance of vigilant oversight in biotechnological research.
“The reason behind publishing ‘The Known Unknown’ is to educate and inform the public about what transpired in Reedley,” explained Joshua Coleman. “It’s a call for transparency and accountability in regulatory practices that are meant to safeguard our communities.”
Reflecting on the impact, Harper emphasized, “This comic isn’t just about what happened in Reedley; it’s about ensuring similar incidents are prevented elsewhere. It’s about empowering communities to demand better from our regulatory agencies.”
The release of “The Known Unknown” at one of the nation’s largest comic conventions signifies a new chapter in how local stories can resonate on a national stage, urging readers to engage critically with issues of public health and safety. As the legal aftermath continues, Fresno County has secured a $125,000 settlement from the property owner, reflecting costs incurred during the lab’s closure and cleanup. The story of the Reedley bio lab serves as a stark reminder of the importance of local oversight and community vigilance in safeguarding public health.