China-Linked Scientists Caught Smuggling Deadly Fungus Into US, Investigation Underway
United States: In a startling turn of events revealed by federal prosecutors, Yunqing Jian, a 33-year-old postdoctoral researcher based at the University of Michigan, and her 34-year-old partner Zunyong Liu are facing sweeping criminal allegations. They are accused of covertly introducing a hazardous biological agent into the US — a pathogen feared for its ruthless impact on crops.
As unveiled in court papers recently made public, the duo is charged with conspiring to deceive federal authorities, unlawfully importing restricted biological material, and misleading investigators with false declarations.
The incident unfolded last July at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, where border agents intercepted Liu upon arrival. During a meticulous inspection, officials reportedly uncovered small reddish clusters hidden deep within his belongings — concealed inside four tiny plastic packets wrapped in tissues. The material was later identified as Fusarium graminearum, a destructive fungal strain infamous for ravaging grain harvests and causing large-scale economic upheaval, according to NBC News.
Records indicate both Liu and Jian had prior academic involvement with this fungus while studying at Chinese institutions. Since 2023, Jian had been working within Michigan’s Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory, a prestigious research unit dealing with plant biology.