A federal appeals court overturned the conviction of Feng 'Franklin' Tao, a University of Kansas professor, accused of concealing work in China due to insufficient evidence showing its impact on funding decisions by U.S. agencies. The case was part of the now-ended Trump-era China Initiative targeting Chinese influence in American academia. Tao, initially convicted of multiple charges, had his false statement conviction remaining, which was later overturned, leading to his acquittal. The decision marked a significant setback for the U.S. Department of Justice's efforts to address Chinese influence in academia.