FBI Raids Illegal Biolab in Las Vegas Home Linked to CCP-Connected Reedley Facility, Raising Alarms Over National Security Risks

Federal agents from the FBI, alongside Las Vegas Metropolitan Police (LVMPD), executed a high-stakes raid on a private residence in northeast Las Vegas over the weekend, uncovering an operational illegal biological laboratory stocked with thousands of vials containing suspected hazardous materials. The operation, which involved HazMat teams and SWAT units, has been tied directly to the notorious Chinese-linked biolab discovered in Reedley, California, in 2023, amplifying concerns about foreign influence, intellectual property theft, and potential biosecurity threats on U.S. soil. 

The raid targeted a home owned by “David Destiny Discovery, LLC,” where authorities discovered refrigerators filled with unknown liquids and vials of biological substances. Over 1,000 samples were seized and sent to federal labs for analysis, with investigators proceeding “methodically” to identify the materials and assess any criminal activity involving biological agents. Ori Solomon, a 55-year-old property manager, was arrested and booked on felony charges related to the improper disposal of hazardous waste, with additional charges potentially forthcoming. 

In a joint press conference on Monday, LVMPD and FBI officials detailed the raid, which began early Saturday based on intelligence linking the property to the 2023 Reedley, California, illegal biolab case. LVMPD’s counterterrorism section, alongside FBI partners, deployed SWAT, drones, a tactical robot for air sampling, and the ARMOR team in protective gear to secure the scene. The garage housed the bulk of the materials, including running refrigerators, a freezer wrapped in plastic, a biosafety hood, centrifuge, and various bottles with red, brown, and other unknown liquids. Officials emphasized a “methodical process” for handling and testing, with no immediate public threat to the neighborhood, air, or water supply. LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill described the incident as isolated and praised inter-agency collaboration with Clark County Fire, Nevada National Guard, and others. Ari Solomon, 55, the property manager, was arrested on state charges for improper disposal of hazardous waste, though he lacks biological expertise. The investigation remains ongoing to determine the lab’s purpose and any criminal implications.

This Las Vegas discovery echoes the Reedley biolab scandal, which the California Globe has extensively covered since its exposure. In July 2023, the Globe first reported on the mysterious Chinese COVID lab uncovered in Reedley, where city code enforcement officers stumbled upon an unlicensed facility housing thousands of vials of pathogens, including E. coli, HIV, malaria, bodily fluids, serums, and tissues.  The lab, operated by Prestige Biotech—a successor to the bankrupt Universal Meditech Inc.—was found in a supposedly vacant warehouse after officers noticed a garden hose attached to the building. 

Subsequent Globe investigations revealed deeper ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In November 2023, the Globe detailed how lab owner Jia Bei Zhu (also known as David He), a Chinese national and fugitive from Canada, was part of the CCP’s “Military-Civil Fusion” program, receiving millions in funds from China while allegedly stealing American biotechnology and producing unlicensed COVID-19 and pregnancy tests.  Zhu, who pleaded not guilty to federal charges of misbranding medical devices and making false statements, remains in custody after being deemed a flight risk by federal authorities.  The Globe’s interview with Reedley Code Enforcement Officer Jesalyn Harper uncovered that the operation had relocated from Fresno, where an electrical fire at Universal Meditech prompted the move, and highlighted unverified Chinese addresses for company agents. 

Further scrutiny by the Globe exposed financial incentives from California state programs. In August 2023, it was reported that the Reedley lab received a $360,000 tax credit from Governor Gavin Newsom’s GO-Biz office, despite its illegal status—a credit later revoked in June 2023, months after the lab’s shutdown. This raised questions about oversight, with the Globe’s opinion piece in December 2023 questioning why mainstream media and Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) initially ignored the story. 

The Reedley incident prompted legislative action, as covered by the Globe in April 2024, when Rep. Costa introduced a bill to enhance inter-agency communication, create a single point of contact for suspicious labs, and require tracking of infectious agent sales to flag dubious purchases—aiming to close the loopholes that allowed such operations. Additional Globe reporting in November 2023 delved into community backlash against Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba for delayed public notifications about the lab’s hazards. 

The illegal bio lab just raided in Las Vegas was operated by the same LLC and Chinese nationals as the one discovered in Reedley, CA. Here's what we know about the Reedley lab from a highly disturbing report I requested by the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

It… pic.twitter.com/kbkCuUpmvv

— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) February 2, 2026

Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) reacted strongly to the Las Vegas raid, stating, “An illegal bio lab was just raided in Vegas. It is directly linked to the secret Chinese lab found in California in 2023, which was oozing with E. Coli, HIV, and Malaria. Congress must pass our bill to find these illegal labs and shut them all down.”  Zhu, the common thread between the sites, owns the Las Vegas property through his shell company and has been implicated in smuggling pathogens, possibly from Canada. 

The raids underscore persistent vulnerabilities in U.S. biosecurity, particularly amid tensions with China. The Reedley lab’s abatement involved removing 75 containers of biological material and medical waste, including hundreds of dead mice, highlighting the scale of the threat. As investigations continue, calls for congressional hearings intensify.

The California Globe will continue providing updates to this developing story.