Thread: 2 Chinese nationals charged with smuggling 'potential agroterrorism' fungus into US:

2 Chinese nationals charged with smuggling 'potential agroterrorism' fungus into US: DOJ

Authorities said it was in connection with work at the University of Michigan.

By Luke Barr
June 3, 2025, 6:04 PM

Video at the page link
0:22
2 Chinese nationals charged with smuggling dangerous fungus into USTwo Chinese nationals have been charged with allegedly smuggling into the United States a fungus called "Fusarium graminearum," which is considered to be a potential weapon for agro-terrorism.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Two Chinese nationals have been charged with allegedly smuggling into the U.S. a fungus called "Fusarium graminearum, which scientific literature classifies as a potential agroterrorism weapon," the Justice Department said Tuesday.



This photo released by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan shows what authorities say are biological pathogens discovered in luggage at the airport in Detroit.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, were allegedly receiving Chinese government funding for their research, some of it at the University of Michigan, officials said.
"The complaint also alleges that Jian’s electronics contain information describing her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party," a DOJ press release said.
"It is further alleged that Jian’s boyfriend, Liu, works at a Chinese university where he conducts research on the same pathogen and that he first lied but then admitted to smuggling Fusarium graminearum into America -- through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport -- so that he could conduct research on it at the laboratory at the University of Michigan where his girlfriend, Jian, worked," according to the press release.



This photo released by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan shows what authorities say are biological pathogens discovered in luggage at the airport in Detroit.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

MORE: Hassett: Trump will have 'a wonderful conversation' this week with Xi

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the Justice Department "“has no higher mission than keeping the American people safe and protecting our nation from hostile foreign actors who would do us harm."

"Thanks to the hard work of our excellent DOJ attorneys, this defendant — who clandestinely attempted to bring a destructive substance into the United States — will face years behind bars," the attorney general said.
The FBI says it causes “head blight,” a disease of wheat, barley, maize, and rice, and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year.
“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 in the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme,” U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgan said.



In this Nov. 8, 2020, file photo, a sign is shown at the University of Michigan, North Campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images

“Today’s criminal charges levied upon Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are indicative of CBP’s critical role in protecting the American people from biological threats that could devastate our agricultural economy and cause harm to humans; especially when it involves a researcher from a major university attempting to clandestinely bring potentially harmful biological materials into the United States," U.S. Custom and Border Protection, Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon said.

Jian was scheduled to appear Tuesday afternoon in federal court in Detroit for her initial appearance on the complaint, the DOJ said.

The affidavit alleges that Jian and Liu were dating, and also researching the biological pathogen -- and when questioned about smuggling the pathogen into the United States, lied to authorities at the Detroit airport.



This photo released by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan shows what authorities say are biological pathogens discovered in luggage at the airport in Detroit.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

"On July 27, 2024 Liu entered the United States and told authorities he was visiting his girlfriend and then returning to China to start his own laboratory in China. He allegedly said that he had no work materials, but upon a secondary screening of his luggage, authorities found tissues concealed a note in Chinese, a round piece of filter paper with a series of circles drawn on it, and four clear plastic baggies with small clumps of reddish plant material inside," the affidavit said.
He told authorities he didn't know how the materials ended up in his bag and suggested someone placed them there without his knowledge, officials said, but after further questioning he admitted to placing them in the bag.
He wasn't arrested at that time, court records suggest.
"LIU stated that he intentionally hid the samples in his backpack because he knew there were restrictions on the importation of the materials," according to the complaint. "LIU confirmed that he had intentionally put the samples in a wad of tissues so CBP Officers would be less likely to find and confiscate them, and he could continue his research in the United States."

The University of Michigan put out a statement late Tuesday afternoon.
"We strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university’s critical public mission," the school's statement said.
"It is important to note that the university has received no funding from the Chinese government in relation to research conducted by the accused individuals. We have and will continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation and prosecution," the statement continued.

2 Chinese nationals charged with smuggling 'potential agroterrorism' fungus into US: DOJ - ABC News

US News
Feds investigate alleged Chinese-linked biolab found in Las Vegas home

By Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News

Published Feb. 4, 2026, 7:44 a.m. ET

101 Comments

Today's Video Headlines

Originally Published by:

• Authorities 'aware' of reports of possible ransom note in Nancy Guthrie disappearance
• California approves controversial sharpshooter plan to eradicate invasive deer
• Parents who decapitated 2 children, forced other kids to see bodies learn sentence

Authorities are investigating a suspected biological laboratory with alleged Chinese ties discovered inside a Las Vegas home.
SWAT officers served a search warrant Saturday at a residence on the city’s east side after receiving a tip that a biolab was operating inside the home, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
More than 1,000 pieces of evidence with “potential biological and hazardous materials” were primarily located in a locked garage, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a press briefing on Monday.
Authorities said there is no threat to the public.

The property manager of the home, 55-year-old Ori Solomon, was arrested Saturday and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of disposing and discharging hazardous waste, police said.
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill said police took extensive precaution while serving the warrant.
Authorities, he said, used a robot to clear the home, collect air samples and deploy hazardous materials teams to remove items safely.
In the garage, investigators found multiple refrigerators with vials of unknown liquids, unknown liquids in gallon-size containers, a centrifuge and other laboratory equipment, authorities said.
“Some of that evidence included biological material and liquids that were meticulously collected and sent to FBI labs for testing,” police said in a statement.

6

SWAT officers served a search warrant Saturday at a residence on the city’s east side after receiving a tip that a biolab was operating inside the home.LVMPD

6

More than 1,000 pieces of evidence with “potential biological and hazardous materials” were primarily located in a locked garage.LVMPDInvestigators identified the owner of the Las Vegas home as Jia Bei Zhu, who is already in federal custody following the discovery of an unauthorized biolab in Reedley, California, in 2023.
Zhu was arrested in that case on federal charges alleging he manufactured and distributed misbranded medical devices, including tests for COVID-19, pregnancy and HIV, without proper permits and made false statements to the Food and Drug Administration. He is scheduled to go on trial in April.
Zhu’s attorney, Anthony Capozzi, said Monday that his client is not involved in the Las Vegas investigation.

“He is not involved in any kind of a biolab being conducted in a home in Las Vegas,” Capozzi said. “What went on in that residence we are unaware of.”
The Reedley biolab drew attention after a clandestine laboratory was discovered operating inside a warehouse owned by Zhu’s company, Universal Meditech Inc.
According to a report by the House Select Committee on the People’s Republic of China, Zhu, 62, is a citizen of the PRC and a wanted fugitive from Canada.

6
In the garage, investigators found multiple refrigerators with vials of unknown liquids, unknown liquids in gallon-size containers, a centrifuge and other laboratory equipment, authorities said.LVMPD

6

Investigators identified the owner of the Las Vegas home as Jia Bei Zhu, who is already in federal custody following the discovery of an unauthorized biolab in Reedley, California, in 2023.Department of JusticeThe committee alleged Zhu had close ties to the Chinese government and was involved in a transnational criminal enterprise that stole millions of dollars in intellectual property from US companies.
City officials in Reedley first raised concerns in December 2022 after a code enforcement officer noticed a green garden hose protruding from the warehouse.
A subsequent inspection revealed extensive laboratory equipment, manufacturing devices and medical-grade freezers inside the building.

6
“Some of that evidence included biological material and liquids that were meticulously collected and sent to FBI labs for testing,” police said in a statement.AP

6

The committee alleged Zhu had close ties to the Chinese government and was involved in a transnational criminal enterprise that stole millions of dollars in intellectual property from US companies.LVMPDOfficials also reported finding approximately 1,000 transgenic mice used in disease research. Workers at the facility told authorities the mice were genetically engineered for COVID-19 research.
The FBI is assisting in the Las Vegas investigation, which remains ongoing.

Authorities declined to provide additional details about the materials recovered or whether additional arrests are expected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Filed under

• arrests
• biology
• china
• las vegas
• nevada
• 2/4/26

China tied biolab found inside Las Vegas home owner Jia Bei Zhu

Report warns Chinese researchers with CCP, military ties embedded in sensitive U.S. university labs

02/07/2026 // Willow Tohi // 470 Views

Tags: badscience, big government, campus insanity, China, communism, conspiracy, Dangerous, deception, deep state, espionage, invasion usa, military tech, national security, privacy watch, public education, real investigations, research, Researchers, Spygate, Suppressed, surveillance

• A watchdog report identifies nearly two dozen Chinese academics at top U.S. universities with ties to the CCP, Chinese military-linked institutions, or blacklisted companies.
• These individuals are conducting sensitive, federally funded research in fields like AI, quantum sensing and infectious diseases with potential dual-use military applications.
• The report links several researchers to China’s talent recruitment plans, which U.S. authorities say incentivize intellectual property theft and economic espionage.
• Many attended Chinese universities deeply embedded in China’s military-industrial complex, including the "Seven Sons of National Defense."
• The findings raise urgent concerns about technology transfer and national security vulnerabilities within America’s open research ecosystem.

A new watchdog report alleges that Chinese students and researchers with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party, its military and state-run defense companies have embedded themselves within elite American universities and national laboratories. The analysis, from the conservative American Accountability Foundation, claims these individuals are often funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars to conduct sensitive research, posing what it calls a significant "dual-use threat" to national security. The findings, reported this week, intensify long-standing bipartisan concerns about the integrity of U.S. academic research and the potential for technology transfer to a strategic competitor.
Identifying the "dual-use threat"

The AAF report, titled "Chinese Scientist Infiltration Threat Assessments," names nearly two dozen Chinese academics it states are currently or were recently working at institutions including Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It argues these individuals "should be expelled from the United States or never be re-admitted" due to their research areas and affiliations.
The research fields involved are among the most advanced and strategically sensitive: artificial intelligence, large language models, quantum sensing, nuclear materials, advanced semiconductors, robotics and infectious disease research. These areas are frequently classified as having clear potential for military or intelligence applications. According to the report, funding for this work has come from a range of U.S. agencies, including the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
Links to CCP, military and talent plans

The report details several layers of concerning affiliations among the named researchers. It states that multiple individuals are members of the CCP, including some who held leadership roles in party branches at Chinese universities. One scientist was identified as a leader within the China Democratic League, an organization long assessed by U.S. intelligence as a CCP-aligned united front group.
Crucially, the report documents links between these academics and Chinese institutions central to Beijing’s military-civil fusion strategy. Several attended universities known as the "Seven Sons of National Defense," which a 2024 House Select Committee report described as having "deep roots in the military and defense industry" and funneling half of their PhD graduates into China’s defense sector.
The analysis also highlights connections to China’s talent recruitment programs, such as the Thousand Talents Plan. The U.S. Department of Justice has stated these plans are designed to recruit individuals with access to foreign technology and "reward individuals for stealing proprietary information." The report notes one researcher was linked to the Hundred Talents Plan, a related program.
Technology transfer concerns

The allegations are not isolated but fit into a pattern of documented cases and longstanding policy warnings. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has for years highlighted China’s systematic efforts to acquire foreign technology to advance its military modernization. The Department of Justice has pursued multiple prosecutions against researchers for failing to disclose ties to Chinese institutions, with the NIH reporting that 54 scientists have been fired for such violations.

• Past cases include the prosecution of Chinese national Zhengdong Cheng for fraud related to NASA grants and his participation in the Hundred Talents Plan.
• A 2023 House report warned that U.S.-Chinese joint education institutes can act as conduits for transferring critical technology to entities linked to China’s defense and security apparatus.

This new report argues that despite these warnings, individuals with problematic backgrounds continue to gain access to sensitive U.S. research infrastructure through academic channels.
A call for policy action

The AAF states its goal is to move the discussion from broad warnings to "specific actionable examples" to spur policymakers. The underlying tension pits America’s tradition of open scientific collaboration against the realities of geopolitical competition and national security. Universities, as hubs of fundamental research and innovation, have repeatedly been identified by U.S. intelligence as prime targets for foreign espionage and influence operations.
The report concludes that without stronger safeguards and vetting processes, U.S. universities and federal agencies risk inadvertently enabling the transfer of sensitive research and technology to strategic competitors. It underscores a growing consensus in Washington that the current system may be inadequately protected against exploitation, threatening both national security and the integrity of the American research enterprise.
Safeguarding the scientific frontier

The AAF’s findings present a stark challenge: how to protect vital national security interests and intellectual property without undermining the open academic exchange that fuels American innovation. As competition with China intensifies across technological domains, the pressure on U.S. institutions to scrutinize collaborations and funding sources will only increase. The report adds concrete detail to what officials have long described as a pervasive threat, suggesting that the penetration of U.S. research labs by individuals tied to Beijing’s military and strategic ambitions is both real and ongoing. Addressing this vulnerability is likely to remain a complex and contentious priority for policymakers, universities and the intelligence community for years to come.
Sources for this article include:
YourNews.com
JustTheNews.com
FBI.gov

“Wartime Homefront Essential Skills” on BrightU: Turning barren land into “heaven on Earth” and the future of food – NaturalNews.com