Non-immigrant visa holder and Property Manager of illegal Biolab in NEVADA RELEASED following MAJOR BUST

Ori Solomon (also spelled Ori Salomon in some court documents) is a 55-year-old Israeli citizen currently in the United States on a non-immigrant visa. He was arrested in late January/early February 2026 in connection with the discovery of a suspected illegal biological laboratory (biolab) in a residential home in northeast Las Vegas, Nevada (on Sugar Springs Drive, near Washington Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard).

Role in the Investigation

• Solomon served as the property manager for the home where the raid occurred, as well as at least one other nearby property (on Temple View Drive). Reports indicate he managed approximately 37 short-term rentals (e.g., via platforms like Airbnb) in the Las Vegas area.

• The properties were linked to LLCs associated with Jia Bei Zhu (aliases: Jesse Zhu, David He, Qiang He), a Chinese national already in federal custody for a similar 2023 illegal biolab case in Reedley, California. Solomon is described in some reports as having an "extensive relationship" with Zhu and another associate, Wang Zhao Yan.

• Authorities do not indicate that Solomon had any biological or scientific expertise—he is not described as a biologist or lab operator. Officials stated they have "no knowledge" of him having training in that field.

• A former cleaning employee (using the pseudonym "Kelly") tipped off authorities after reportedly becoming ill from exposure while working at the home, which was rented out room-by-room.

Charges and Arrest Details

• State charges (Nevada): Felony disposal and discharge of hazardous waste in an unauthorized manner, tied to the handling of materials from the suspected lab.

• Federal charges: Being a prohibited person in possession of firearms (as a non-immigrant visa holder, he is barred from possessing guns under U.S. law). Multiple firearms were seized from his residence, including handguns and reportedly an Israeli-made assault rifle (IWI Tabor X95 in some accounts). A complaint notes he asked a family member from jail if "any guns [were] left."

• During searches, officers found French and Israeli passports in his name.

• He lived in one of the searched homes with three children.

Court Outcome

• Solomon was initially booked into the Clark County Detention Center.

• On February 6 or 7, 2026 (depending on reporting), a federal judge (U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah) released him on his own recognizance pending further proceedings.

• Conditions include surrendering his passport, remaining within the continental U.S., and notifying the court if leaving the Las Vegas area.

• He does not currently face federal charges directly related to operating or owning the biolab itself—those aspects of the probe focus more on the property's ownership ties to Zhu.

Broader Context

The Las Vegas setup was described as similar in appearance to the Reedley case (refrigerators/freezers with unknown liquids, lab equipment, over 1,000 samples collected for FBI testing). Some people (including possibly employees or responders) reportedly became "deathly ill" after exposure to contents like reddish liquids, but no confirmed public health threat or specific pathogens have been publicly identified from the Nevada samples yet—testing remains ongoing.

17GEN4.com

The recent biolab bust in Nevada raid conducted by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and the FBI at a residential home in northeast Las Vegas, specifically on Sugar Springs Drive (near Washington Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard), starting around January 31, 2026.

Authorities executed a search warrant after receiving a tip about suspicious activity resembling an illegal biological laboratory. Inside a locked garage, they discovered:

• Multiple refrigerators and a freezer.

• Laboratory-type equipment (including centrifuges).

• Numerous bottles, jugs, vials, and containers holding unknown liquid substances (some described as reddish-brown or unknown liquids).

• Over 1,000 samples of potential biological and hazardous materials, which were collected and shipped to FBI labs for analysis and testing.

Hazmat teams were involved due to the potential risks, and the scene required remediation. Officials emphasized that the setup appeared "consistent in appearance" to the infamous 2023 illegal biolab discovered in Reedley, California (Fresno County area), which contained thousands of vials labeled with pathogens like COVID-19, HIV, hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis, and even an "Ebola"-labeled freezer, along with nearly 1,000 genetically engineered mice and misbranded medical test kits.

The Nevada case is directly linked to the same individual/network behind the Reedley lab: Chinese national Jia Bei Zhu (also known as Jesse Zhu, Qiang He, or David He), who faces federal charges from the California incident. Property records tie the Las Vegas home to LLCs connected to Zhu (e.g., David Destiny Discovery LLC or similar entities), with alleged Chinese ties and funding flows raising national security concerns. Some reports highlight connections to Chinese banks and companies.

A property manager, Ori Solomon (55, Israeli citizen managing short-term rentals including the property), was arrested in connection with the raid. He faced charges including being a prohibited person in possession of firearms and felony disposal/discharge of hazardous waste. Some employees reportedly became "deathly ill" after exposure to materials like beakers with reddish liquid in the garage. Solomon was later released by a federal judge in early February 2026 pending further proceedings.

No confirmed public health threat has been declared yet, as testing of the samples continues (with over 1,000 items analyzed nationwide). Authorities have not released specifics on what pathogens (if any) were present, pending lab results. Officials praised the swift local/federal response, contrasting it with criticisms of the slower federal handling in the Reedley case.

This incident has renewed calls for stronger federal oversight of unlicensed labs, with some lawmakers (e.g., referencing bipartisan bills) urging hearings to address potential vulnerabilities, especially given the Reedley parallels and alleged foreign links.

The investigation remains ongoing, with the FBI taking a lead role.