Chinese Nationals Arrested for Smuggling Pathogen into US

June 3, 2025, 5:33 PM EDT

Two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian, 34, and Zunyong Liu, 41, were arrested for smuggling Fusarium graminearum, a crop-damaging fungus, into the US. The pair allegedly hid the pathogen for unauthorized research at the University of Michigan. They face charges of conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud. The FBI and U.S. Customs Service are investigating.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice