Couple accused of illegally transporting a potentially dangerous microorganism into America from China.
"What's the Scoop on That Chinese Researcher in Michigan?"
A Chinese researcher at the University of Michigan and her boyfriend are currently in hot water. They've been slapped with charges for allegedly sneaking a dangerous plant pathogen into the US, according to recently unveiled court documents. The researcher, Yunqing Jian, and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, stand accused of conspiracy, smuggling, lying to investigators, and visa fraud.
The drama unfolded at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in July, where border officers discovered a fungus known as Fusarium graminearum, a pathogen that can cause crop diseases, hidden in Liu's backpack. The incriminating material was tucked away in a wad of tissues.
The pair allegedly researched the pathogen during their student days in China. Jian, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan's Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory, has been working there since 2023. Liu initially tried to play innocent when confronted by officers, claiming someone must've planted the samples in his bag. However, he later confessed to intentionally hiding the samples to continue his research in the U.S. without detection.
As investigators dug deeper, they unearthed WeChat messages from 2022 featuring discussions about smuggling seeds into the U.S. Between Liu and Jian, Liu mentioned hiding the seeds in his shoes, to which Jian agreed.
A federal court hearing took place in early June, where Jian was ordered to remain in custody due to her being deemed a flight risk. Liu, who was barred from entering the country following the discovery of the pathogen, remains at large.
The FBI's Counterintelligence Division spearheaded the investigation. Fusarium graminearum is notorious for causing billions of dollars in economic losses each year due to the sickness and damage it inflicts on crops worldwide. In humans and livestock, the toxins produced by this fungus can lead to vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects.
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon described the alleged actions as causing "grave national security concerns." The Chinese Embassy has yet to comment on the situation. The University of Michigan strongly denounced any actions that could endanger national security or obstruct its crucial mission. The university clarified that it did not receive any funding from the Chinese government related to the research of the accused individuals.
The controversy surrounding the Chinese researcher at the University of Michigan, Yunqing Jian, and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, has escalated to involve politics and crime-and-justice matters, as they are accused of smuggling a dangerous plant pathogen, Fusarium graminearum, into the US. This incident, which has raised grave national security concerns, is currently being investigated by the FBI's Counterintelligence Division, and the university denies receiving any funding from the Chinese government in relation to the research of the accused individuals.
