The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two Chinese nationals—Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34—with smuggling Fusarium graminearum, a fungal pathogen labeled in scientific literature as a potential agroterrorism weapon, into the United States. The fungus causes devastating “head blight” in crops, resulting in billions in annual global agricultural losses.
According to an FBI complaint, Liu smuggled the pathogen during a July 2024 visit to the U.S. to conduct unauthorized research at a University of Michigan lab where Jian worked. Investigators uncovered electronic communications discussing the illicit transfer of biological materials. Both face charges of conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud.
The FBI’s Detroit Field Office warned the duo’s actions posed an “imminent threat to public safety.” Jian appeared in court Tuesday with a court-appointed defender, while Liu remains in China. The University of Michigan has not yet commented.