In a chilling case that reads more like a spy novel than a real-life headline, two Chinese nationals have been arrested and charged in what federal authorities are calling a serious threat to U.S. national security.
According to a press release from the Justice Department, Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34)—both citizens of the People’s Republic of China—have been charged with conspiracy, fraud, and smuggling a potentially dangerous biopathogen into the United States.
At the heart of the case is a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, known to scientists as a “potential agroterrorism weapon.”
This fungus, while sounding like a random scientific term, is far from harmless. It causes a plant disease called “head blight,” which targets essential crops like wheat, barley, rice, and maize—the backbone of global food security. When these crops are infected, they not only suffer from rot and reduced yield, but the fungus also produces toxins that can cause vomiting, liver damage, and even reproductive harm in both humans and livestock.
The Department of Justice alleges that Jian received financial support from the Chinese government to work on this very pathogen back in China. Even more alarming, her electronic devices reportedly contained evidence of her membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—including files suggesting deep loyalty to the regime.
Her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, is also no small player in this operation. He works at a Chinese university where he studies the exact same pathogen. According to officials, Liu first denied, but then admitted, to smuggling the fungus into the U.S. through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Where was he planning to use it? Authorities believe he intended to conduct further research at the University of Michigan, where Jian was working, all while exploiting student visa privileges.
U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., didn’t mince words when describing the severity of the threat:
“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals—including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party—are of the gravest national security concerns. These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”
Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, also stressed the significance of the arrests:
“These individuals exploited their access to laboratory facilities at a local university to engage in the smuggling of biological pathogens.”
The story is yet another disturbing example of how America’s educational institutions are being used as backdoors by foreign actors seeking to undermine U.S. interests.
In what now appears to be a timely policy decision, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced just last week that the U.S. will begin revoking visas for Chinese nationals with links to the CCP or those studying in critical scientific fields.
“The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” Rubio posted on
This visa crackdown comes as concern grows over the Chinese Communist Party’s influence operations across U.S. academia, technology, and agriculture. Many lawmakers and national security experts have long warned about the risks of espionage and intellectual property theft linked to Chinese nationals working or studying in sensitive areas.
Fusarium graminearum might sound like a mouthful, but the damage it causes is painfully real. This isn’t just about one lab experiment gone wrong. This is about a deliberate effort to bring a harmful biological agent into the U.S., one that has the potential to destroy key crops, harm animals and humans, and cause economic chaos.
And the individuals behind it? Directly tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
As more details emerge, one thing is clear: the threat isn’t just at our borders anymore. It’s inside our labs, on our campuses, and hiding behind the mask of academia.
