A former University of Michigan researcher, Yunqing Jian, 33, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, has been deported from the United States following her conviction for conspiring to illegally import a dangerous agricultural pathogen and subsequently lying to federal law enforcement. Jian was sentenced to time served following her guilty plea last month and was removed from the U.S. in early December, according to federal authorities.
Jian pleaded guilty to conspiring to import Fusarium graminearum, a fungal pathogen commonly known as “vomitoxin,” and making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This pathogen is responsible for Fusarium head blight, which severely infects staple crops, including wheat, barley, maize, and rice. The fungus is linked to substantial economic damage in agriculture, costing U.S. producers hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and derives its nickname from its ability to induce vomiting in livestock and cause gastrointestinal issues in both animals and humans.
Pathogen Smuggling Scheme Uncovered
The investigation revealed that Jian, who prosecutors identified as a member of the Chinese Communist Party, had reportedly received funding from China to study the infectious organism. She was arrested in June in connection with a collaborative plan involving her boyfriend, Zungyong Liu, 34, a researcher who specialized in the organism at a Chinese university.
The scheme came to light in July when Liu attempted to enter the U.S. at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Customs officials intercepted a suspicious red plant material concealed within his luggage. Liu was denied entry and returned to China. Authorities stated that the intent was for Liu to continue his research at the University of Michigan, where Jian was based. Electronic communications exchanged between the pair in 2024 suggested Jian had already been handling the fungus within the Michigan laboratory prior to Liu’s interception.
Following the deportation, FBI Director Dan Bongino asserted on social media that the bureau would not permit foreign adversaries to capitalize on American university resources for their own purposes.
Agricultural and National Security Concerns
The importation of biological material, particularly pathogens, is strictly regulated, requiring researchers to obtain proper permits before entry. Fusarium graminearum is currently present in parts of the eastern and upper Midwestern United States, where it causes an estimated $200 million to $400 million in agricultural losses each year. The unauthorized import raises concerns regarding biosecurity and the potential for introducing new, more virulent strains.
Jian’s attorney, Norman Zalkind, argued that prosecutors had overstated the severity of the offense and maintained that the government’s claim that the research posed substantial harm to the U.S. was unsupported. Nonetheless, Jian was returned to China just two days after submitting her plea.
This incident is not isolated. U.S. authorities have filed charges against at least four other Chinese nationals in connection with similar cases involving attempts to unlawfully transport biological materials into the country for research purposes, several of which also involved affiliations with the University of Michigan. This string of cases underscores the federal government’s increasing scrutiny of foreign research affiliations, particularly those involving sensitive biological agents and ties to geopolitical rivals.