Two Chinese nationals accused of smuggling a dangerous fungus into the United States in a possible act of “agroterrorism” began doing so in 2022, according to an affidavit.
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. charged Chinese citizens and Michigan University researchers Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the U.S., false statements, and visa fraud, the Department of Justice announced. The duo smuggled Fusarium graminearum, a fungus the DOJ notes is classified by scientific literature as a “potential agroterrorism weapon.”
According to the arrest affidavit, the smuggling was done from August 2022 to July 2024, when Liu was arrested. In the first smuggling attempt, Liu instructed Jian to smuggle the fungus in through one of her pairs of boots, an intercepted WeChat conversation showed.
“Teacher Liang’s seeds must be placed well,” Liu began.
“I put them in my Martin boots … in a small bag. The ziplock bag. Very small,” Jian said.
In January 2024, Jian attempted to get a third party to smuggle Fusarium graminearum to her by shipping it in a statistics book. The package was intercepted and the fungus uncovered.
The “noxious” fungus causes billions of dollars in economic losses every year, causing the “head blight” disease in wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Its toxins can cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects in both humans and livestock, the release noted. Ten samples were recovered in that package alone.
“These individuals exploited their access to laboratory facilities at a local university to engage in the smuggling of biological pathogens, an act that posed an imminent threat to public safety,” Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said in a statement.
“Thanks to the exceptional investigative efforts of the FBI Detroit Counterintelligence Task Force, in close cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations these dangerous activities have been effectively halted. The FBI remains resolutely committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to protect the residents of Michigan and defend the United States against such grave threats,” he added.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon said the arrest came as the result of a “complex investigation involving CBP offices from across the country, alongside our federal partners.”
Beijing was quick to deny any involvement.
“I don’t know the specific situation, but I would like to emphasize that the Chinese government has always required overseas Chinese citizens to abide by local laws and regulations and will also resolutely safeguard their legitimate rights and interests,” Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., told Fox News.
The University of Michigan said in a statement obtained by the outlet that it “strongly” condemns “any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university’s critical public mission.”
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“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. We have and will continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation and prosecution,” it said.
According to the complaint, Jian, a loyal CCP member, received government funding to work on the pathogen in China before moving to study in the U.S. Her boyfriend, Liu, attempted to smuggle the fungus into the U.S. through the Detroit airport in order to study it with Jian at the University of Michigan. He initially denied placing the fungus in his bag but would later admit to smuggling it.