Federal prosecutors have filed charges against two Chinese citizens accused of bringing a crop-destroying fungus into the United States for university research, the Justice Department said Tuesday.
Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, face multiple counts including conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements and visa fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Authorities say the pair attempted to smuggle Fusarium graminearum, which researchers have identified as a potential agricultural bioweapon. The pathogen destroys wheat, barley, corn and rice crops, causing billions in global economic damage annually.
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Liu was detained at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July 2024 when customs agents found biological samples hidden in his luggage, court documents show. Prosecutors allege he planned to use the materials for research at the University of Michigan, where Jian worked.
According to the charges, Jian received funding from the Chinese government for her pathogen research. Court filings indicate her electronic devices contained evidence of Communist Party membership.
The complaint states Liu initially lied to investigators but later acknowledged concealing the fungus samples to avoid detection at the airport.
“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals — including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party — are of the gravest national security concerns,” Gorgon said. “These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”
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FBI Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson called the charges “a crucial advancement in our efforts to safeguard our communities and uphold national security.”
Customs official Marty C. Raybon described the case as highlighting border agents’ “critical role in protecting the American people from biological threats.”
The University of Michigan condemned the alleged actions and said it received no Chinese government funding related to the defendants’ work.
Federal investigators from the FBI and Customs and Border Protection are handling the case.
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