FBI sanctions listing
CHINESE PLA MEMBERS, 54th RESEARCH INSTITUTE
CHINESE PLA MEMBERS, 54th RESEARCH INSTITUTE is an individual designated on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation — Wanted (FBI) sanctions list under the Cyber's Most Wanted, China Threat programmes, listed on 2020-01-02. Cyber's Most Wanted, China Threat. This page summarises the public designation — known aliases, identifying particulars, the stated reason for listing and linked parties — alongside an independent, transparent risk indicator.
Reason for listing
Computer Fraud; Economic Espionage; Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Computer Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Economic Espionage; Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud On January 28, 2020, a Grand Jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment charging Wang Qian, Xu Ke, Liu Lei, and Wu Zhiyong, with Computer Fraud, Economic Espionage, Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Computer Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Economic Espionage, and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. The defendants were members of the 54th Research Institute, which was a component of the People’s Liberation Army (“PLA”), the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China. As alleged in the indictment, beginning at least by on or about May 13, 2017, and continuing through on or about July 30, 2017, members of the 54th Research Institute conspired with each other to hack into the protected computers of Equifax, to maintain unauthorized access to those computers, and to steal sensitive personally identifiable information, proprietary database schemas, and data compilations. The PLA hackers obtained names, birth dates, and social security numbers for approximately 145 million American citizens, in addition to driver’s license numbers for at least 10 million Americans stored in Equifax’s databases. The hackers also collected credit card numbers and other personally identifiable information belonging to approximately 200,000 American consumers. In a single breach, the PLA obtained sensitive identifying information for nearly half of all American citizens, and personally identifiable information belonging to nearly a million citizens of the United Kingdom and Canada.
Statement of reasons as published by US FBI. This is the issuing authority's wording, reproduced for reference.
Designation record
| List / authority | US FBI (FBI) — FBI — Cyber's Most Wanted |
|---|---|
| Entity type | Person |
| Programmes / regime | Cyber's Most WantedChina Threat |
| Date listed | 2020-01-02 |
| Source record ID | fbi:3abeeb9032ea44df9de314441e09199d |
| Last updated (our copy) | 2026-06-04 |
Identity & particulars
| Position / role | Cyber's Most Wanted, China Threat |
|---|
Deep-research dossier
Not yet deep-researched
The instant review above is drawn from the public lists. A deep-research dossier goes much further — an analyst-grade OSINT report: associate & co-investment network screening, structural / ownership opacity, a dated risk trajectory, an 8-factor scoring model, and numbered, source-linked evidence. See the format in the design system.
Clarifications & right of reply
Are you CHINESE PLA MEMBERS, 54th RESEARCH INSTITUTE, or an authorised representative?
You — or your counsel or agent — can file a clarification and supporting documents against this record. Filings are reviewed and verified before anything is published; submissions are never posted automatically.
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Source & provenance
| Issuing authority | U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation — Wanted |
|---|---|
| Source identifier | fbi:3abeeb9032ea44df9de314441e09199d |
| Aggregated by | Sanctiometer (independent) — verify against the issuing authority's official list before acting. |