DETROIT – A University of Michigan Chinese scholar was in court this week in connection with allegedly smuggling a potentially dangerous agricultural pathogen through Detroit Metro Airport last summer.
Yunqing Jian, 33, appeared in federal court on Thursday, June 5, where her bond hearing was postponed to next Friday as she seeks to retain private counsel.
Jian and her boyfriend, 34-year-old Zunyong Liu, face charges of conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud.
Federal prosecutors allege the pair attempted to smuggle Fusarium graminearum, a fungal pathogen that federal agents classify as a potential agroterrorism weapon, into the United States.
According to court documents, Liu initially denied it but later admitted to concealing plastic bags containing a reddish substance in his luggage during a July 2024 entry through Detroit Metro Airport.
Investigators later discovered he intended to deliver the pathogen to Jian’s laboratory at the University of Michigan.
The fungus causes head blight disease in wheat, barley, maize, and rice crops, potentially leading to billions in agricultural losses.
“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals — including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party — are of the gravest national security concerns,” interim U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon said in a statement. “These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also addressed the arrest on X, saying, “This case is a sobering reminder that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences, putting American lives and our economy at serious risk.”
New... I can confirm that the FBI arrested a Chinese national within the United States who allegedly smuggled a dangerous biological pathogen into the country.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) June 3, 2025
The individual, Yunqing Jian, is alleged to have smuggled a dangerous fungus called "Fusarium graminearum," which is an…
Scientific Community Perspective
Caitilyn Allen, professor emeritus of plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, believes the case is being “Hyped up a little bit.”
Allen said before this, she had never heard anyone in the scientific community characterize Fusarium graminearum as a “terrorism agent.”
She said the U.S. has a list of high-concern plant pathogens, and this one is not one of them. It’s also not on the list of potential agroterrisom concerns.
“I think their intention was to work on it in a lab that is studying plant immunity to diseases. So, this was not following the regulations. Humans have moved pathogens around in the past, and it’s caused trouble. So, we have USDA regulations, and other countries do too, to try to minimize the chances,” Allen said.
Allen said the fungus poses no direct threat to human health but can produce a toxin that affects livestock.
“It’s actually a very common and widespread fungus that attacks mostly wheat and barley. It’s found in, I think, in 32 American states. So, we are not talking about something that’s been introduced by China. People should not be freaking out. It’s already here, but it is a problem for farmers. It can reduce yield significantly,” Allen said.
“As one of the world’s leading public research institutions, the University of Michigan is dedicated to advancing knowledge, solving challenging problems and improving nearly every facet of the human experience.
Our research enterprise across all three campuses is united in this commitment to serving the people of Michigan and the world.
We strongly condemn 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.
We have and will continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation and prosecution."
University of Michigan response
Next Steps:
Jian is due back in court for a detention hearing on June 13 at 1 p.m. She is seeking her own attorney.
