Charges dropped against wife of Chinese billionaire in corn conspiracy case

Charges were dismissed this week against a woman, the wife of a Chinese billionaire, who was accused of stealing trademarked Iowa corn and sending it to China.

Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss charges of conspiracy to steal trade secrets and conspiracy to transport stolen property filed against Mo Yun after the court ruled instant messages couldn't be used in the trial. The messages, prosecutors said, were a significant part of their case against Yun.

Yun is the wife of Shao Genhuo, the chairman of Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co., and the sister of Mo Hailong, 46, also known as Robert Mo, who was first arrested near a Pioneer Hi-Bred facility field outside of Dysart in Tama County. He is accused of stealing inbred corn seed from duPont Pioneer, Monsanto and LG Seeds in 2011 and 2012.

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose on Tuesday dismissed the charges against Yun because prosecutors and defense attorneys for Yun's brother said they will not call Yun as a material witness at trial. Rose ordered the probation office to return Yun's passport and discontinue her electronic monitoring.

Defense attorneys from Bird Marella, based in Los Angeles, Calif., said in a statement Wednesday they urged the court to 'closely scrutinize the nature and admissibility” of the prosecution's evidence against her and the judge ultimately found it was inadmissible.

'We are grateful that the case against Ms. Mo has been dismissed,” Attorney Terry Bird said in the statement. 'It marks the end of the unfortunate prosecution of an innocent woman. After being separated from her family for more than a year pending trial, she is eager to return home (to Beijing).”

According to the federal indictment filed in 2013, seven Chinese nationals conspired to steal trade secrets of several U.S. seed manufacturing companies. They then transported those trade secrets to China for the benefit of their Chinese seed company. The alleged conspiracy started in April 2011 and continued through December 2012.

The indictment claims the alleged conspirators attempted to 'covertly” transfer the inbred corn seed to China.

Hailong is accused of mailing the seeds to Florida and to China. He also is accused of planting another group of seeds on farmland that he purchased.

The estimated loss of an inbred line of seed is about five to eight years of research and a minimum of $30 million to $40 million, according to the indictment.

The defendants charged are:

' Mo Hailong, director of international business for Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co., which is part of DBN Group. DBN Group is believed to be a Chinese conglomerate with a corn seed subsidiary company, Kings Nower Seed.

' Li Shaoming, chief executive officer of Beijing Kings Nower Seed, headquartered in Beijing.

' Wang Lei, vice chairman of Beijing Kings Nower Seed.

' Ye Jian, research manager of Beijing Kings Nower Seed.

' Lin Yong, an employee of Beijing Kings Nower Seed.

' Wang Hongwei, believed to be a resident of Quebec, Canada, and a citizen of both Canada and China.

According to a status hearing Wednesday, the trial will likely be reset.