NOTE: VIDEO at the end of the article.
Two Chinese nationals have been charged in a federal case involving the illegal smuggling of a dangerous biological agent into the United States, according to a complaint unsealed by the Department of Justice on Tuesday.
Zunyong Liu, 34, and Yunqing Jian, 33, are accused of conspiring to bring Fusarium graminearum, a highly infectious agricultural fungus, into Michigan with the intent to conduct unauthorized research. The fungus is known to cause Fusarium head blight in cereal crops such as wheat and barley—posing both a significant economic risk and potential health threat.
Federal agents allege that Liu was caught by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July 2023 while attempting to smuggle the pathogen. Initially, Liu denied any involvement with the biological material but later admitted he planned to deliver it to Jian, his girlfriend and a researcher at the University of Michigan.
Court documents indicate that Jian has previous connections to Chinese state-sponsored research programs and had worked with this specific pathogen in the past. She is also alleged to have received funding from agencies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party.
Jian denied knowledge of the smuggling attempt, but FBI investigators say they uncovered communications between the couple discussing biological materials and experiments that were intended to be conducted at Jian’s university lab.
“This case underscores the critical importance of safeguarding American research institutions and the food supply chain,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.
Federal prosecutors claim this is not the couple’s first instance of biological material transfer. Jian is suspected of participating in other smuggling activities related to biological agents, although details of those incidents are still under investigation.
The charges include conspiracy to smuggle, possession of undeclared biological material, making false statements to federal officers, and visa fraud.
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon called the case “a serious threat to national security,” emphasizing that the smuggling of agroterrorism agents—deliberately or not—puts the country’s economy, public health, and national infrastructure at risk.
The University of Michigan, where Jian is employed, has released a statement asserting full cooperation with authorities and denying institutional involvement in the case. Jian is scheduled to appear in federal court in Detroit, while Liu remains in custody pending further legal action.
Federal authorities confirm that the investigation remains active and additional charges are possible.
