New Findings Strengthen the Lab-Leak Hypothesis

A recent investigation by the White Coat Waste Project (WCW) has uncovered new evidence linking U.S. government funding to Ben Hu, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) researcher now identified as “Patient Zero”—the first known person to fall ill with COVID-19.

Newly-leaked U.S. intelligence, combined with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) investigation led by WCW, suggests that Hu and his colleagues at the Wuhan Lab were working on dangerous gain-of-function research on coronaviruses—experiments that were partially funded by American taxpayers through grants from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Connecting the Dots: U.S. Tax Dollars and Wuhan’s Risky Research

Since 2019, WCW has followed the money trail leading to China’s Wuhan Lab, exposing how U.S. taxpayer funds were funneled into reckless animal experiments. In 2021, a FOIA lawsuit filed by WCW revealed official receipts proving that the U.S. government was funding Ben Hu’s gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses.

Now, a newly-leaked U.S. intelligence report identifies Hu as the first known individual to contract COVID-19 at the Wuhan Lab—further solidifying the lab-leak theory.

What Do the Documents Reveal?

• Ben Hu, now confirmed as “Patient Zero,” was the lead scientist conducting high-risk gain-of-function experiments on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Lab.
• The U.S. government allocated over $41 million in taxpayer funds to the lab through NIAID and USAID grants.
• Federal accounting records confirm that Hu was a primary recipient of these grants, despite U.S. policies restricting gain-of-function research.
• In November 2019, Hu and two other Wuhan researchers—Yu Ping and Yan Zhu—became severely ill with COVID-like symptoms, months before China publicly acknowledged the outbreak.
• Reports indicate that one Wuhan researcher’s wife died in December 2019 from a mysterious respiratory illness resembling COVID-19.

Without WCW’s investigation, Hu’s research would have continued receiving U.S. taxpayer funding until 2024. However, due to public pressure and congressional scrutiny, WCW helped terminate these grants in early 2020.

Why This Matters: A Cover-Up Exposed

The revelations expose a disturbing chain of events:

1. U.S. tax dollars funded Wuhan Lab researchers, including Hu, to conduct high-risk experiments on bat coronaviruses.
2. Ben Hu and his colleagues became sick with a COVID-like illness in late 2019, months before the official outbreak was reported.
3. Their identities and medical histories were kept secret by both the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and U.S. authorities.
4. Leaked intelligence and FOIA documents now confirm their involvement in taxpayer-funded gain-of-function experiments.

A Growing Consensus on the Lab-Leak Theory

For years, government agencies and media outlets dismissed the lab-leak theory as a conspiracy. However, scientific experts, intelligence agencies, and most Americans now recognize that COVID-19 likely originated from a Wuhan laboratory accident.

Even the U.S. State Department acknowledged in January 2021 that Wuhan researchers involved in coronavirus experiments were hospitalized in late 2019 with symptoms resembling COVID-19.

With the latest intelligence confirming their identities and funding sources, the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

What Happens Next?

Next week, the Biden Administration is expected to declassify additional intelligence on COVID-19’s origins. Meanwhile, WCW continues to work with lawmakers, including Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), to ensure that U.S. tax dollars never again fund dangerous gain-of-function research—especially in foreign labs with questionable safety practices.

The Fight to End Wasteful and Dangerous Research

WCW is committed to exposing reckless government spending on risky animal experiments. From investigating Dr. Fauci’s controversial Beagle experiments (#BeagleGate) to tracking U.S. taxpayer funding of the Wuhan Lab’s coronavirus research, WCW is leading the charge to defund wasteful and dangerous government projects.

Take Action

• At TheParrotPress we have made available below the full FOIA documents obtained by WCW.
• Urge lawmakers to ban taxpayer funding for gain-of-function research.
• Support White Coat Waste Project (WCW)’s mission by visiting their site.