A woman has shared a hidden-camera video that played a crucial role in her coworker’s criminal conviction. Her actions come as the convicted individual seeks to have his felony record expunged. According to the prosecution, David Xu, a former senior materials engineer at Berkeley Engineering and Research in California, poisoned the food and drink of his colleague, Rong Yuan, with cadmium, a dangerous heavy metal, over a span of more than a year, from 2017 to 2019.
Initially charged with attempted murder and multiple counts of poisoning, Xu accepted a plea deal, admitting to one poisoning count, and received one year’s probation. During a sentencing hearing in 2024, the judge extended Xu’s probation to two years, describing the plea deal as “extremely generous, considering everything in this case.” On the verge of Xu appealing to an Alameda County judge to have his felony conviction dismissed, Yuan publicized the video, which purportedly shows Xu pouring an unknown substance into her water bottle.
“I felt it was my last option in dealing with a legal system that failed me,” Yuan stated when discussing her decision to release the footage.
Yuan’s employment with Berkeley Engineering and Research began in January 2017. From her first encounter with Xu, there was tension. Yuan claimed that Xu informed her she couldn’t use the company’s materials lab. This prompted her decision to avoid him whenever possible.
After a few encounters, Yuan began experiencing troubling symptoms, such as dry heaving and hair loss, which intensified by July 2017. She described a terrifying episode after drinking from her water bottle: “I began to feel like I was dying.” Although she frequented the hospital, her condition persisted. In November 2018, after another severe bout of illness, she emailed her office to inform them she would not be in, citing her sickness.
Xu replied, “You should work from home until you feel better. No reason to rush in. I think BEAR is moldy.” It wasn’t until January 2019, after another instance with her water bottle that a sour taste and her mother’s concerns led Yuan to suspect tampering. She purchased a spy camera for her desk.
On February 11, 2019, the camera captured Xu approaching her water bottle. A subsequent recording on March 4, 2019, depicted Xu pouring something into Yuan’s bottle, validating her suspicions.
“Watching the video, I felt an intense shock. I nearly died,” Yuan expressed. “I experienced death up close, repeatedly. I cannot simply allow this to be dismissed.”
Yuan delivered the video evidence to the Berkeley Police Department soon after. Although Xu completed his probation in March, he continues to request that his conviction be cleared. However, the felony would remain on record.
Fox News Digital has been in contact with Xu’s legal representation for a statement. Adam Sabes, a reporter for Fox News Digital, can be contacted with story tips at [email protected] or via Twitter @asabes10.