‘AGROTERRORISM’: DOJ Charges Chinese Nationals With Smuggling Dangerous Pathogen into US

A Chinese national couple was hit with criminal charges Tuesday for allegedly smuggling a dangerous fungus into the US capable of destroying crops and poisoning humans and livestock.

Now, imagine Communist Chinese government will do with the 383,935 acres of U.S. agricultural land they own. Remember those Chinese spy balloons.

Zunyong Liu, 34, was caught by US Customs and Border Protection officers attempting to smuggle Fusarium graminearum — a biological pathogen considered “a potential agroterrorism weapon” — into the US via the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last July, according to a criminal complaint filed in a federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan.

Liu initially made false statements about his visit to the US and his knowledge of the pathogen before admitting to law enforcement that he was bringing the noxious fungus to his girlfriend, 33-year-old University of Michigan lab researcher Yunqing Jian, according to authorities.

FBI Director Patel:

“I can confirm that the FBI arrested a Chinese national within the United States who allegedly smuggled a dangerous biological pathogen into the country.

The individual, Yunqing Jian, is alleged to have smuggled a dangerous fungus called “Fusarium graminearum,” which is an agroterrorism agent, into the U.S. to research at the University of Michigan, where she works.

This fungus can cause a disease called “head blight,” a disease of wheat, barley, maize, and rice, causing significant health issues in both humans and livestock. It is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year.

Evidence also indicates Jian had expressed loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and had received funding from the Chinese government for similar work on this pathogen in China.

Jian’s boyfriend, Zunyong Liu — also charged in the complaint — works at a Chinese university where he conducts research on the same pathogen. Liu is alleged to have first lied, then admitted, to also smuggling Fusarium graminearum into America—through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport—so that he too could conduct research the University of Michigan.

Both individuals have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud.

This case is 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… 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.

The individual, Yunqing Jian, is alleged to have smuggled a dangerous fungus called “Fusarium graminearum,” which is an…

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) June 3, 2025

DOJ charges two Chinese nationals with smuggling ‘potential agroterrorism’ fungus into US

The two researchers, identified as 33-year-old Yunqing Jian and 34-year-old Zunyong Liu, were allegedly receiving funding from the Chinese government for their research, and were allegedly citizens of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

By Misty Severi, Just The News, June 3, 2025 7:07pm

The Justice Department on Tuesday charged two Chinese researchers with attempting to smuggle a fungus dubbed “Fusarium graminearum,” into the U.S. which it claimed scientific research “classifies as a potential agroterrorism weapon.”

The two researchers, identified as 33-year-old Yunqing Jian and 34-year-old Zunyong Liu, were allegedly receiving funding from the Chinese government for their research, and were allegedly citizens of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The pair, who were supposedly dating, allegedly lied to U.S. officials about the fungus in Detroit last year, with Liu stating he did not know how the material ended up in his luggage. He later admitted to putting it in his bag and wrapping it carefully to avoid detection because he knew it was restricted, the department said, per ABC News.

“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals — including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party — are of the gravest national security concerns,” U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgan said in a statement. “These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into in the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”

Jian has also been accused of lying to officials, and her electronics allegedly contained information describing her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party. She was also researching the pathogen.

The FBI said the fungus causes “head blight,” a disease of wheat, barley, maize and rice, and is responsible for billions of dollars in global economic losses each year.

FBI Director Kash Patel also sounded the alarm in response to the charges, claiming it demonstrated a serious national security threat to the U.S. food supply.

“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, an act that could cripple our economy and endanger American lives,” Patel told Fox News. “Smuggling a known agroterrorism agent into the U.S. is not just a violation of law, it’s a direct threat to national security. I commend the FBI Detroit Division and our partners at CBP for stopping this biological threat before it could do real damage.”