2 Chinese nationals charged with smuggling pathogens to study at University of Michigan lab

Two Chinese researchers have been formally charged with smuggling a biological pathogen into the United States, intending to study it at a laboratory at the University of Michigan.

This is according to a complaint filed on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

The case emerges amid the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on Chinese students in the U.S., citing alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as part of a broader conflict with academic institutions.

The accused are Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34.

They face multiple charges including:

• conspiracy to commit offenses or defraud the United States,
• smuggling goods into the country,
• making false statements, and visa fraud.

The charges stem from their attempt to bring the fungus Fusarium graminearum into the U.S. from China.

This is according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Attorney General Pam Bondi underscored the seriousness of the case, stating:

“The Department of Justice has no higher mission than keeping the American people safe and protecting our nation from hostile foreign actors who would do us harm.”

Fusarium graminearum is described in FBI affidavits as a “potential agroterrorism weapon.”

The fungus causes diseases in vital crops such as wheat, corn, rice, and barley and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses globally each year.

The complaint also highlights the toxin’s harmful effects.

According to online media reports, it can cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects in both livestock and humans.

This case is part of a wider push by the Trump administration to revoke visas of Chinese students.

This is particularly those suspected of having ties to the CCP or who are studying critical fields.

Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated this intent.

Over recent months, federal agencies have scrutinized academic collaborations across the U.S.

This includes a case involving a Harvard researcher accused of smuggling frog embryo remains.

FBI Director Kash Patel stressed the case’s significance on social media.

Patel called it “a sobering reminder that the CCP is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences.”

The affidavit, however, does not specify Jian and Liu’s precise intentions for studying the fungus.

The Trump administration’s campaign against Chinese influence in academia also includes its ongoing battle with Harvard University.

It is reportedly seeking to cut billions of dollars in federal funding and limit Chinese international students at the institution.

These efforts have sparked multiple lawsuits by Harvard.

The administration alleges that collaborative research with Chinese academics in optics and aerospace amounted to coordinating with CCP officials to train individuals in ways that threaten U.S. national security.

The Department of Homeland Security cited a congressional inquiry.

The inquiry indicated that health conferences hosted by Harvard included participation from members of a sanctioned Chinese paramilitary group accused of involvement in genocide against Uyghurs.

CNN contacted the federal community defender representing Jian, who remains in FBI custody.

Liu, on the other hand, is not currently in the United States, according to Gina Balaya.

Balaya is the public information officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan.

Liu, a researcher at Zhejiang University in China, reportedly attempted to smuggle multiple samples of the fungus into the U.S.

This was during a July 2024 visit on a tourist visa without obtaining the necessary permits, according to the affidavit.

Jian, his girlfriend, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory at the University of Michigan.

She previously worked at a university in Texas since August 2022.

The affidavit reveals evidence that the Chinese government funded Jian’s research on Fusarium graminearum at Zhejiang University during her time at both U.S. institutions.

Officials also discovered a signed “annual self-assessment form” on Jian’s phone.

This outlined her research achievements and included an oath to abide by CCP principles.

This is a practice previously reported by Radio Free Asia, which said tens of thousands of Chinese students on government scholarships are required to sign similar documents.

When Liu was questioned at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July 2024, he initially denied knowing what the samples were.

However, he later admitted to intentionally concealing the fungus and planning to clone different strains at the University of Michigan laboratory where Jian worked.

The affidavit also notes that messages recovered from Liu’s devices showed coordination with Jian to smuggle biological samples and other materials, not only during the July 2024 trip but also during a visit two years earlier.

The University of Michigan released a statement condemning any actions intended to cause harm, threaten national security, or undermine the university’s public mission.

They clarified that they have received no funding from the Chinese government related to the individuals charged.

Jian appeared in court on Tuesday but did not enter a plea.

She is scheduled for a detention hearing on Thursday, according to Balaya

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