Federal prosecutors have unveiled an alarming case that reads like something out of a Cold War thriller: A Chinese scholar at the University of Michigan, along with her boyfriend, has been charged with smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen into the United States. According to the FBI, the goal was to conduct unauthorized research in a Michigan lab—posing a serious national security threat tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
The primary suspect, Yunqing Jian, is a Chinese national who earned a PhD in plant pathology from Zhejiang University. She allegedly received financial backing from a Chinese state-run science foundation to carry out research involving Fusarium graminearum, a toxic fungus known to wreak havoc on staple crops like wheat, barley, and rice. The pathogen produces chemicals that can cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive issues in both animals and humans.
Jian’s boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, allegedly smuggled the fungal samples into the U.S. by hiding them in his backpack. Upon arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers uncovered notes in Chinese, suspicious filter paper, and four plastic baggies filled with reddish plant matter. Initially, Liu claimed ignorance, but under questioning, he admitted to deliberately sneaking in the fungus with plans to replicate it for research at Jian’s university lab.
The FBI’s counterintelligence unit swiftly unsealed charges in Detroit federal court on Tuesday. FBI Director Kash Patel didn’t hold back. “This case is a sobering reminder that the Chinese Communist Party continues to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate our institutions and target our food supply,” he said. “Smuggling a known agroterrorism agent into the U.S. is not just a violation of law—it’s a direct threat to national security.”
According to court filings, Liu lied on his B2 tourist visa application in March 2024 by denying any intent to engage in illegal activities. He was granted entry to the U.S. in July 2024, despite carrying a pathogen with serious agricultural and public health implications. He later confessed to hiding the samples inside tissues to avoid detection and acknowledged that he knew the material was restricted.
Text messages between Jian and Liu reveal the casual nature of the plot. In a 2022 exchange, Jian asked where to hide the sample, and Liu replied, “Just put it in your shoes.” Jian responded, “I stuffed them in the shoes.”
This wasn’t just a one-off blunder, officials say—it was a calculated move by individuals with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Interim U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon called the smuggling attempt “one of the gravest national security concerns we’ve seen in recent years.” He emphasized that the suspects intended to exploit a university lab in the American heartland to further their “agroterrorism weapon” research.
The Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI’s Detroit Division worked together to stop what could have been a catastrophic biological incident. The pathogens in question could have devastated U.S. agriculture and caused ripple effects through the economy, supply chains, and public health systems.
This development comes on the heels of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s announcement to aggressively revoke student visas for Chinese nationals linked to the CCP or studying sensitive subjects. Rubio has warned that the U.S. can no longer afford to play host to covert operatives under the guise of academic collaboration.
“This is exactly why we’re revoking these visas,” Rubio said recently. “Foreign nationals backed by hostile regimes are exploiting our openness to endanger our people. That ends now.”
With tensions between the U.S. and China already running high over trade, cyberespionage, and TikTok-related censorship, this smuggling case has added another layer to the national debate on academic research, foreign influence, and border security. The prosecution is expected to seek aggressive penalties, and the case could spark a wider review of Chinese-linked research programs in U.S. universities.
