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(NewsNation) — As the House Oversight Committee launches an investigation into the disappearances and deaths of more than a dozen American scientists, similar questions are being raised about the fates of several Chinese scientists.

At least 10 scientists in China have died under what some are calling suspicious circumstances. These scientists, some of whom died in 2023, are said to have worked on everything from drones to military AI to Taiwan invasion scenarios. Their deaths allegedly involved suicide, sudden illnesses and car crashes.

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Currently, there is no evidence linking the cases in China to the U.S. China is often tight-lipped about matters of national security and government, and it controls its media. But the obituary of one of the scientists, on a state-run site, says he was sacrificed.

Back stateside, the FBI has also announced it is looking into what happened to the American scientists and government workers. Many of them had high-level security clearances, some with access to classified material tied to nuclear, space, or defense work. There is no evidence these cases are related or part of a larger conspiracy.

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“They’re going to start from ground zero. They’re going to work with the local authorities, saying, what are the facts and circumstances surrounding this individual’s situation?” Jennifer Coffindaffer, retired FBI special agent, said. “If they find something that is circumspect or doesn’t line up or comport, then they will then tangent off and look at are there any connections to anything else?”

With so many cases in critical fields, the pattern is raising eyebrows, especially considering the U.S., China and Russia are in a global tech race. Events like this aren’t easily dismissed.

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