FBI Searches Homes of Indiana University Professor in Cryptography Mystery

Bloomington, IN, March 31, 2025 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted searches at two residences linked to Xiaofeng Wang, a prominent Indiana University (IU) professor and cryptography expert, on Friday, leaving the academic and cybersecurity communities grappling with questions. The raids, which took place at homes in Bloomington and Carmel, Indiana, have coincided with Wang’s sudden disappearance from public view and the university’s removal of his online profile, fueling speculation about the nature of the investigation.

A Coordinated Operation

FBI agents, alongside officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), descended on Wang’s properties in a court-authorized operation. In Bloomington, a fleet of unmarked vehicles was spotted on Xavier Court, where agents spent much of the day moving in and out of the residence, occasionally transferring boxes, according to The Bloomingtonian. A parallel search unfolded in Carmel, where neighbors reported hearing agents announce “FBI, come out!” over a megaphone. A woman emerged from the home, had her phone confiscated by an agent, and was questioned in the driveway before investigators began collecting evidence and inspecting the attic, as reported by WTHR.

FBI spokesperson Chris Bavender confirmed the searches, stating, “The FBI conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity at homes in Bloomington and Carmel on Friday. We have no further comment at this time.” The agency has remained tight-lipped about the purpose of the raids or any potential targets, and no federal court records related to Wang or the searches have surfaced as of Monday morning.

A Vanishing Presence

Wang, a tenured professor at IU’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, has been a fixture in the cybersecurity field for over two decades. As associate dean for research and co-director of the Center for Security and Privacy in Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, he has led projects totaling nearly $23 million, focusing on cryptography, privacy, and cybersecurity. His wife, Nianli Ma, a lead systems analyst and programmer at IU Libraries, is also tied to the properties searched, though her online profile has similarly vanished from the university’s website.

The timing of these developments has raised eyebrows. Sources told Talking Points Memo that Wang was placed on administrative leave on March 14, well before the raids, with his IU email and web pages shut down shortly thereafter. Colleagues only noticed his absence in the wider community after Friday’s searches, and attempts to reach him or Ma have been unsuccessful. IU spokesperson Mark Bode declined to clarify Wang’s employment status, referring inquiries to the FBI.

Speculation and Concern

The lack of transparency has sparked a flurry of theories. Wang’s expertise in cryptography and long tenure at IU—coupled with his sudden “incommunicado” status—has led some to suspect an espionage investigation, possibly tied to national security concerns. Posts on X reflect this sentiment, with users noting the involvement of both FBI and DHS as suggestive of a high-stakes case. Others point to the Trump administration’s renewed focus on countering Chinese influence in academia, reviving fears of a “China Initiative” redux, as noted by South China Morning Post. Wang’s Chinese heritage has amplified such speculation, though no evidence of wrongdoing has been made public.

Fellow researchers have expressed alarm. Matthew Green, a cryptography professor at Johns Hopkins University, wrote on Mastodon, “None of this is in any way normal,” questioning how Wang’s absence went unnoticed for two weeks. Matt Blaze of Georgetown University added, “It’s hard to imagine what reason there could be for the university to scrub its website as if he never worked there.” The abrupt erasure of Wang’s digital footprint at IU, typically a slow process even in cases of misconduct, has deepened the mystery.

A Community on Edge

The searches have rattled Bloomington and Carmel residents. In Carmel, neighbors described a methodical operation, with agents photographing the scene and removing evidence after hours of work. A lawyer for the residents was present during part of the search, though he told WTHR he was unaware if the investigation related to their IU employment. In Bloomington, the quiet Xavier Court neighborhood buzzed with curiosity as agents came and went, yet no detentions were reported.

For IU, the incident poses a public relations challenge. The university’s reticence has frustrated students and faculty, some of whom noted Wang’s name still appears on the Fall 2025 graduate schedule, per Indiana Daily Student. The Luddy School and IU Libraries have not responded to requests for comment, leaving a void filled by conjecture.

Unanswered Questions

As of March 31, the fate of Wang and Ma remains unclear. Are they detained? Have they left the country? Or are they simply lying low amid an unfolding probe? The absence of charges, coupled with the FBI’s silence, keeps the case in limbo. Cybersecurity experts worry about the implications for academic freedom and international collaboration, while locals ponder the significance of a “small fleet” of federal agents in their midst.

For now, the story of Xiaofeng Wang—a scholar whose work once illuminated the shadows of digital security—is itself cloaked in shadow, awaiting the next revelation from the courts, the FBI, or the university that once called him its own.