Two Chinese nationals are accused of smuggling a “potential agroterrorism weapon” via a noxious fungus into the mid-western US.
Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, both citizens of China, have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the US, making false statements, and visa fraud, as announced by officials today.
It is the second time in a week that a Chinese national with ties to the University of Michigan has been charged in a federal investigation.
Authorities described the fungus as a harmful pathogen causing ‘head blight,’ which affects wheat, barley, maize, and rice, leading to billions of dollars in global economic losses each year. The toxins produced by Fusarium graminearum can cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive issues in both humans and animals.
According to the complaint, Jian received Chinese government funding for her work on this pathogen in China.
The complaint also alleges that Jian’s electronics contain information describing her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
Further allegations indicate that Jian’s boyfriend, Liu, who researches the same pathogen at a Chinese university, initially denied but later confessed to smuggling Fusarium graminearum through Detroit Metropolitan Airport. His intention was to pursue research on it at the University of Michigan laboratory where Jian was employed.
Jian was scheduled to appear on today in the federal court in Detroit.
CBS News Detroit has reached out to the University of Michigan for comment.
