U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents prepared to question a prominent British zoologist upon his return to the United States following an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. The planned interrogation was ultimately halted after the FBI intervened and instructed agents to stand down.
The individual involved, Peter Daszak, was flagged as a high person of interest by the National Targeting Center ahead of his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport in February 2021. The flag was prompted by his extensive collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and his role as a principal investigator on federal grants funding bat coronavirus research.
Internal documents indicate that a significant portion of the funding received by Daszak was directed toward gain-of-function research. Federal agencies had previously requested that Daszak retrieve original type-specimens used by the Wuhan lab for genetic analysis and provide explanations regarding his professional collaborations.
Customs officials intended to question Daszak regarding his activities in China, his contacts at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and whether he had illegally transported biological samples. Internal communications revealed significant concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest involving federal grants and his involvement in gain-of-function studies.
The planned interception was canceled three days before the subject's arrival after the FBI’s New York Field Office requested that agents do not stop him. The resulting records include detailed flight itineraries, proposed interrogation questions, and internal emails documenting the interagency disagreement.
At the time of the planned questioning, Daszak was the president of EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization focused on the causes of emerging pandemic diseases. He was also a member of the international team sent to China to investigate the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Daszak has previously faced scrutiny regarding potential conflicts of interest due to his financial and professional ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology while serving on investigative teams. He currently leads Nature Health Global, a non-profit scientific organization dedicated to ecological research and pandemic prevention.
