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The two Chinese nationals are accused of smuggling Fusarium graminearum—a fungal pathogen that causes devastating “head blight” in staple crops such as wheat, corn, and barley, and is classified as a potential agroterrorism weapon due to its capacity for widespread food supply disruption and severe human and animal toxicity. The fungus produces toxins linked to vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive abnormalities.
Liu, who works at a Chinese university and conducts similar research, allegedly smuggled the fungus into the U.S. through Detroit Metro Airport, later admitting that he planned to use Jian’s University of Michigan lab to conduct further experiments. According to the complaint, Jian received Chinese government funding for her research on this pathogen and possessed electronic records documenting her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America,” stated U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon, “where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”
The FBI described the case as a grave national security threat, underscoring the danger posed by foreign infiltration of American scientific institutions and the misuse of academic access to import potentially weaponizable biological materials.
Customs and Border Protection echoed these concerns:
“Today’s criminal charges levied upon Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are indicative of CBP’s critical role in protecting the American people from biological threats that could devastate our agricultural economy and cause harm to humans; especially when it involves a researcher from a major university attempting to clandestinely bring potentially harmful biological materials into the United States.”
-Director of Field Operations, Marty C. Raybon
As a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, I find this situation both deeply disappointing and profoundly dangerous. Our universities should never serve as playgrounds for bioterror activity.
These critical arrests come as the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Bill Gates, Ashish Jha, and Peter Marks warn of imminent bioterror threats:
Epidemiologist and Foundation Administrator, McCullough Foundation
www.mcculloughfnd.org
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