New York ( CNN ) -- Three university researchers working on medical technology are facing federal charges -- and up to 20 years in prison if convicted -- for allegedly taking Chinese money for their U.S.-funded research , according to federal authorities . Their research was partially funded by a multimillion dollar National Institutes of Health grant , according to a criminal complaint . The three -- Yudong Zhu , 44 of Scarsdale , and Xing Yang and Ye Li , both 31 of Hartsdale -- are each charged with one count of commercial bribery , according to the U.S. attorney 's office in Manhattan . Zhu is also charged with one count lying about conflicts of interests in a federal research grant . The three are Chinese nationals , according to a statement from the U.S. attorney 's office . It was not clear from the statement what their status was while working in the United States . `` Instead of working exclusively for a New York research institution , the defendants took bribes to acquire research for the benefit of both a Chinese competitor and a Chinese government institution , '' said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said . The U.S. attorney 's statement described the three as `` researchers who worked on improving MRI ( magnetic resonance imaging ) technology at a university in New York , New York . '' Although the statement did not name the university , the website of the New York University School of Medicine identifies Zhu as an associate professor conducting research focused on improving MRI technology . The criminal complaint said Zhu recruited the other two scientists to aid him in the MRI research . The defendants had undisclosed ties with a Chinese medical imaging company and a Chinese government-sponsored research institute conducting the same MRI research , according to federal authorities . The scientists allegedly shared private information stemming from their research in the United States with those Chinese institutions . `` As alleged , this is a case of inviting and paying for foxes in the henhouse , '' U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Monday . The researchers allegedly accepted thousands of dollars for travel , tuition and rent . Zhu and Yang were arrested at their residences in New York Sunday , according to the U.S. attorney 's office . Li is believed to have traveled to China before charges were brought . Zhu and Yang appeared in court Monday and were both released on bond , according to Zhu 's lawyer , Robert Baum . `` Many of the government 's statements in the bail hearing misinterpreted facts which are actually consistent with his innocence , '' Baum told CNN Tuesday .
The three researchers were working on MRI technology at a U.S. university . Their research was partially funded by a multimillion dollar National Institutes of Health grant . Federal authorities allege that the three took Chinese money for their research . Comment: They aren't doing anything illegal, but they're not exactly ethical either.