Transplant Surgeon Sentenced for Operation of Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BOSTON – A renowned Chinese kidney transplant surgeon at Wuhan Union Hospital was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business in connection with his family member’s drug trafficking operation.

Zhendi Wang, 44, of Wuhan, was sentenced by District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 20 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Three co-defendants in a related money laundering conspiracy remain at large. In October 2024, Wang pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Wang, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, opened bank accounts in Massachusetts. Between 2020 and 2023, Wang received $1.2 million in his bank accounts from a family member. That money was derived from sales from the family member’s online steroids business. Wang then repaid equivalent amounts to his family member in Chinese currency. Wang lacked the appropriate license to operate a money transmitting business.

United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Weinstein and Evan Panich of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.