Chinese couple charged with smuggling a biological pathogen into the U.S.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A Chinese researcher in Michigan and her boyfriend have been charged with smuggling a biological pathogen that "can cause devastating diseases in crops" into the United States, according to federal charging documents unsealed Tuesday.
Yunqing Jian, 33, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, 34, were charged with multiple counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, smuggling goods into the country and making false statements to investigators, the complaint says.
Liu was entering the country at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July when border officers found the pathogen, a fungus known as Fusarium graminearum, in his backpack, according to the complaint. The small clumps of reddish plant material were discovered in four plastic baggies tucked into a wad of tissues.
Liu and his girlfriend researched the pathogen as university students in China, the complaint says. Since 2023, Jian had been working at the University of Michigan's Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory.
Liu initially told the officers that he did not know what the materials were and that someone must have planted them in his bag, but he then told a different story, the complaint says.
"Liu stated that he intentionally hid the samples in his backpack because he knew there were restrictions on the importation of the materials," the complaint says. "Liu confirmed that he had intentionally put the samples in a wad of tissues so CBP Officers would be less likely to find and confiscate them, and he could continue his research in the United States."
According to the complaint, Liu also said he planned to use the University of Michigan laboratory to conduct research on the pathogen. When investigators spoke to Jian, she denied knowing anything about Liu's smuggling or plans to research the pathogen, the complaint says.
But an examination of Liu's and Jian's electronic devices uncovered WeChat messages from 2022 in which they discussed smuggling seeds into the United States.
"I put them in my Martin boots," Liu wrote, according to the complaint. "In a small bag. The ziplock bag. Very small."
"That's good," Jian replied, the complaint says. "Just put it in your shoes."
At a federal court hearing Tuesday afternoon, a judge ordered Jian to remain behind bars after prosecutors described her as a flight risk. Liu, who was not allowed into the country after the pathogen was allegedly discovered in his backpack, remains at large.
The FBI Counterintelligence Division conducted the investigation.
"Fusarium graminearum is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year," the complaint says. "The toxins produced by Fusarium graminearum cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects in livestock and humans."
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon said in a statement: "The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals — including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party — are of the gravest national security concerns."
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The University of Michigan said it condemns "any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university's critical public mission."
"It is important to note that the university has received no funding from the Chinese government in relation to research conducted by the accused individuals," the university added in a statement. "We have and will continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation and prosecution."
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If it were me, I wouldn't let any Chinese citizen into any of our colleges or to work in any of our sensitive industries. If I could arrange it, I wouldn't even let them make business deals without the deal being monitored. Not because I hate Chinese people, but because of the CCP itself.
Every Chinese citizen is an agent of the CCP, whether they want to be or not. The CCP controls what happens to their families and their family's future. Any government that has secret police stations in other sovereign countries to hunt down those who've drawn the ire of the CCP would certainly not refrain from forcing its citizens to spy for them. Every single Chinese citizen is, or can be, a wealth of intel, even if they don't want to. Because of the tyranny of the CCP, they don't have any other choice.
Could they have been working for the Chinese government? If so, could this be considered an act of war?
I think that would be hard to prove since it happens naturally and exists in nature already in this country.
from what i just read , its a fungus that affects rice , wheat , barley and rye , just about any cereal grain crop, and is highly resistant to treatment .
it is also called head blight in the Ag industry, once its in a field , the field is wasted , the crop can not even be used as feed . ripple effect comes into play.
Thanks for the info. They still need to be deported and they can do their research in China
How many shipping containers enter the United States each day? Even the tariffs hasn't closed off imports. China (or anyone else, for that matter) could slip something into the US any time they want. Just look at fentanyl smuggling though customs check points. Someone could do a Ukrainian drone attack inside the US from shipping containers.
So, it's really doubtful that the couple bringing the fungus into the US were trying to spy or cause harm. IMO this incident can be filed under "scientists with a sense of entitlement do stupid things". There's no lack to over inflated self-worth across all scientific fields. Scientist are special.
The couple are being handled in an appropriate manner. Yes, there are other ways to handle the situation. But there's really no need to stir up fear and loathing among the American peons.