China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Chenyue Mao, the Wells Fargo banker who has been blocked from leaving the country, was involved in a criminal case and obliged to cooperate with the investigation.

Beijing confirmed that China-born, Atlanta-based Mao Chenyue is banned from leaving the country. This comes during a trade war with the Trump administration.

An Atlanta-based banker working for Wells Fargo has been prevented from leaving China, the latest incident that threatens to amplify concerns among Western executives about the potential consequences of visiting the world’s second-biggest economy.