WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Dayton, Ohio, has indicted 22 Chinese nationals, four Chinese pharmaceutical companies, and three U.S. citizens in an international drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy.
One of the companies named, Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Co., Ltd., is accused of manufacturing and selling synthetic opioids to Americans. Prosecutors say the company also supplied dangerous chemicals often used as cutting agents that are mixed with synthetic opioids and other illicit drugs. As recently as August 2024, Guangzhou Tengyue’s website advertised nitazenes—synthetic opioids up to 43 times stronger than fentanyl—and xylazine, according to the indictment.
As Emily’s Hope recently reported, nitazenes have been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths across the U.S.
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick S. Gerace II.
From at least 2022 until now, prosecutors allege, Eric Michael Payne, 39, of Tipp City, Ohio, acted as a major supplier of illegal cutting agents to fentanyl traffickers in southern Ohio. Payne is accused of purchasing kilogram shipments from multiple Chinese companies posing as legitimate online pharmacies. Authorities believe the U.S. defendants bought at least 10 kilograms of these cutting agents—enough to yield more than 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture for street sales. Some of the agents included animal tranquilizers up to 200 times stronger than morphine.
Payne’s significant other, Auriyon Tresan Rayford, 24, of Tipp City, and Ciandrea Bryne Davis, 39, of Atlanta, are accused of helping transfer more than $60,000 in cryptocurrency to Chinese suppliers since 2022. Rayford is also accused of allowing drugs to be stored at her home.
The Chinese nationals charged are accused of soliciting U.S. buyers, negotiating sales, and directing payments through cryptocurrency wallets they controlled, later depositing proceeds in overseas financial institutions.
All defendants face charges of conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally. Payne is additionally charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and tampering with evidence. Rayford is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The Chinese companies and nationals charged include:
Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Ltd.,
Guanghzou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,
Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co., Ltd.,
Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co., Ltd.,
Lihui Zhao,
FNU LNU a/k/a “Anna Sofia,”
Shanhong Jiang,
Yan Yang,
Fengdi Zhang,
Dehui Xia,
Xing Wu Chen,
Qing Lin Wang,
Xiaojun Huang,
Meixiang Yao,
Zhanpeng Huang,
Yuqing Feng,
Dongjing Sun,
Chengqi Nong,
Tiduo Wei,
Zhisong Nie,
Jichao Zhu,
Zhengzhe Yin,
Changgen Du,
Hongfei Wang,
Huatao Yao, and
Xuening Gao.
Alongside the indictments, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Guangzhou Tengyue and two of its representatives, Zhanpeng Huang and Xiaojun Huang.
