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EXCLUSIVE – FBI Director Kash Patel informed Fox News Digital that the case involving two Chinese citizens charged on Tuesday with allegedly smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen into the U.S. for research at the University of Michigan highlights a serious threat to national security, particularly concerning America’s food supply.
“This case serves as a grave reminder of the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing efforts to infiltrate our institutions and jeopardize our food supply, which could have devastating effects on our economy and endanger lives,” Patel stated in an interview with Fox. “Bringing a known agent of agroterrorism into the United States poses not only a violation of law but also a direct risk to national security. I commend the FBI Detroit Division and our partners at CBP for stopping this potential biological risk before it could inflict harm.”
Yunqing Jian, a research fellow at the University of Michigan, and her boyfriend Zunyong Liu, both Chinese nationals, have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements, and visa fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. This investigation is being led by the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The couple is accused of smuggling a fungus known as Fusarium graminearum, which is classified in scientific literature as a “potential agroterrorism weapon,” as per the Justice Department. This harmful fungus causes “head blight,” a disease affecting wheat, barley, maize, and rice, resulting in billions of dollars in annual economic losses worldwide.
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Two Chinese nationals have been charged with conspiracy and smuggling a “dangerous biological pathogen” into the U.S. for their research at a University of Michigan laboratory. (Detroit Free Press/IMAGN)
The Justice Department states that the toxins from fusarium graminearum can cause vomiting, liver damage, and “reproductive defects in both humans and animals.”
According to the criminal complaint, Jian, 33, allegedly received funding from the Chinese government for her research on the pathogen in China.
Federal prosecutors claim that Jian’s electronic devices contain information indicating her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
Liu, 34, is said to work at a Chinese university conducting research on the same pathogen. Prosecutors allege he initially lied but later confessed to smuggling Fusarium graminearum into the U.S. via Detroit Metropolitan Airport, intending to use it for research at the University of Michigan laboratory where Jian is employed, according to court documents.
The FBI arrested Jian in connection with the allegations, and she was scheduled to make her initial federal court appearance in Detroit on Tuesday afternoon, while Liu’s custody status is unclear.
University of Michigan graduates exit the central corridor at the William W. Cook Law Quadrangle on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Detroit Free Press)
“The actions attributed to these Chinese nationals, including one who is a devoted member of the Chinese Communist Party, raise significant national security concerns,” U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon remarked. “These two individuals have been charged with smuggling a fungus labeled as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into America’s heartland, where they apparently meant to exploit a University of Michigan lab to advance their agenda.”
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CBP Director of Field Operations Marty Raybon pointed out that the charges against Jian and Liu “underscore CBP’s essential role in safeguarding the American public from biological threats that could devastate our agricultural industry and pose risks to humans, especially involving a researcher from a prominent university covertly attempting to bring harmful biological materials into the U.S.”
“This was a complex investigation involving CBP offices nationwide, working closely with our federal partners,” Raybon stated. “I appreciate their relentless efforts to maintain our borders’ security against all potential threats while protecting America’s national security interests.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, Jian was still listed as a post-doctoral research fellow on the University of Michigan website. Fox News Digital contacted the University of Michigan for a comment Tuesday but had not received a response at that time.
Demonstrators protesting against Israel gather for a mock trial against the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents on the Ann Arbor campus on April 21, 2025. (JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
The Justice Department clarified that a trial cannot occur for felony charges in a complaint, and a decision will be made regarding a felony indictment once the investigation concludes.
This announcement coincides with the Trump administration’s crackdown on what it identifies as anti-American actions by radicals at U.S. universities, particularly foreign students involved in antisemitic or anti-Israel protests on campus.
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed plans to “aggressively” revoke student visas for Chinese nationals, particularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or who are enrolled in critical fields.
In relation to Harvard University, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused the esteemed university of potentially “collaborating with the CCP and other foreign adversaries.”
