Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has dropped a political and national security bombshell: Chinese-made medical monitors sold in the U.S. may be transmitting sensitive American patient data directly to a Communist Party-controlled institution in China—and without patient consent.

On Tuesday, Uthmeier announced a formal investigation and issued subpoenas to Contec and its U.S. distributor Epsimed. His office alleges that their medical devices contain a hidden “backdoor” that not only allows unauthorized access but may also transmit private data across international borders to an IP address in China.

“These medical monitors weren’t just insecure—they were compromised,” Uthmeier warned. “They may allow bad actors to manipulate patient data or exfiltrate it to the Chinese Communist Party. That’s a serious violation of trust and potentially of the law.”

The devices in question include the Contec CMS8000 and the rebranded Epsimed MN-120, both of which were flagged by the FDA earlier this year. In a safety alert issued on January 30, the FDA acknowledged that these devices posed “cybersecurity vulnerabilities” capable of putting patients at risk if connected to the internet. Among the most alarming findings: the devices could be remotely controlled by outside users and send data to unknown destinations.

Uthmeier’s investigation suggests the risks were far from hypothetical. According to his office, the monitors contained programming that could “automatically” send patient data to an IP address linked to a Chinese university—raising immediate red flags about national security and data sovereignty.

Both Contec and Epsimed are now under the microscope for potentially violating Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA). Investigators are examining multiple deceptive claims, including:

• Misrepresenting the devices as FDA-approved when they were not.
• Falsely claiming compliance with international safety standards.
• Omitting critical information about the existence of a backdoor and security vulnerabilities.
• Misleading branding that gave the impression Epsimed was an original manufacturer, when it was simply relabeling Contec’s monitors.

Contec, originally founded in South Carolina, moved operations to China in 2006. Since then, it has sold equipment worldwide, but critics say this latest scandal reveals how deeply compromised some Chinese-origin tech may be. “It’s bad enough when a Chinese company creates security risks for Americans,” said Michael Lucci, CEO of State Armor, a firm specializing in anti-CCP policy. “No American company should help them do it.”

Lucci praised Uthmeier’s aggressive action, calling it a rare moment of courage against a silent invasion. “From TikTok to Temu to now Contec and Epsimed, we’re watching a full-spectrum assault on Americans’ privacy. The CCP is weaponizing consumer products—and we need to treat that as the national security threat it is.”

The implications extend well beyond Florida. Medical facilities across the country may unknowingly be using these compromised devices, exposing patients to espionage and data manipulation. As hospitals and clinics increasingly rely on network-connected monitors and diagnostic tools, the risk of foreign data extraction grows exponentially.

Uthmeier pledged to pursue the case “with the full force of the law,” signaling that further subpoenas and possibly criminal referrals could be on the horizon. “Americans expect privacy and safety when they’re in the hands of medical professionals,” he said. “What they should never have to worry about is whether a hostile foreign government is listening in.”

As the investigation unfolds, one thing is clear: this is more than a consumer fraud case—it’s a window into the growing clash between U.S. sovereignty and Chinese cyber infiltration. The battleground isn’t just tech platforms or military secrets anymore. It’s your hospital room.