His partner, Auriyon T. Rayford, 24, and Ciandrea B. Davis, 39, of Atlanta, reportedly helped Payne set up payments.
Rayford is also accused of allowing illegal substances to be stored at her residence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
The alleged conspiracy involved four Chinese companies — Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co. and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co. — and 22 Chinese individuals, according to U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio records.
The companies claimed to operate as an online pharmacy selling legitimate drugs and chemical compounds, but they were exporting controlled substances to the U.S., according to court documents.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the indictments in Cincinnati Wednesday along with local officials.
“We didn’t just arrest a couple of people,” Patel said. “We charged an enterprise-wide system in mainland China to include dozens of individuals in banks and companies that are responsible for making these lethal precursors and shipping them here.”
As part of Operation Box Cutter, investigators apprehended around 139 kilograms of fentanyl powder — enough lethal doses for 70 million Americans, he said.
Investigators also seized 525 grams of powder that can be used to make fentanyl pills.
Starting around January 2022 and continuing through April 2025, the defendants conspired to possess and distribute mixtures containing fentanyl, protonitazene or metonitazene, according to the indictment.
Protonitazene and metonitazene were reportedly used as cutting agents to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl.
Protonitazene and metonitazene are respectively 100 times and 200 times more powerful than morphine, according to court records.
The companies also allegedly sent medetomidine and xylazine, commonly used as animal tranquilizers, to the U.S.
Chinese nationals helped solicit customers for the companies and secured payment, according to court documents.
They reportedly used public websites to advertise the cutting agents and listed phone numbers for people to call to purchase them.
Payne called one of those numbers and arranged to purchase a cutting agent and set up payment, according to the indictment.
The Chinese nationals reportedly mostly directed customers to pay using cryptocurrency.
Payne, with help from Rayford and Davis, sent the equivalent of $70,000 in cryptocurrency to various crypto wallets as payment, according to the indictment.
“The FBI is using an aggressive investigative strategy to target businesses in China which are sending lethal drugs to the streets of our cities,” said FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “The FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue these companies and drug distributors as we work to crush violent crime and keep people safe from the dangers of illicit narcotics.”
About the Author