Chinese Scientist to Be Deported After Admitting to Smuggling Deadly Fungus into the U.S.

Michigan, November 11, 2025: A Chinese scientist accused of smuggling hazardous biological materials into the United States has pleaded guilty in a Michigan court. The researcher, Yunqing Jian, will be deported to china after serving five months in detention, which the court ruled as time already served.

Jian, 33, a temporary researcher at the University of Michigan, was charged with illegally importing a poisonous fungus used in agricultural research. The presiding judge described the case as “very unusual,” noting that it involved an “incredibly accomplished researcher” whose actions nonetheless violated U.S. biosecurity laws.

Arrest and Charges

Jian was arrested in June on charges of conspiring with a colleague to transport and cultivate Fusarium graminearum — a fungal pathogen known to infect major crops like wheat, rice, barley, and maize. The fungus is commonly found in U.S. fields, but importing foreign strains without a federal biosecurity permit is strictly prohibited due to potential agricultural risks.

Authorities linked Jian’s case to that of Zunyong Liu, a fellow researcher who was detained in 2024 at the Detroit airport while carrying small fungal samples. Prosecutors alleged that Jian and Liu collaborated to continue their crop research from China without obtaining proper U.S. government authorization.

Prosecution and Court Proceedings

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Martin told the court that the unauthorized import could have caused “devastating harm” if the material had spread or been misused, though he admitted there was no evidence of malicious intent.

“I don’t have evidence she acted with evil intent,” Martin said. “But I also don’t have evidence that she was working for the benefit of humanity.” He sought a two-year sentence—four times higher than the federal guideline maximum of six months—but the judge opted for a lesser term.

U.S. District Judge Susan DeClercq sentenced Jian to five months, equivalent to time already served, and ordered her deportation. “The case is strange,” the judge remarked, “but justice must reflect both intent and consequence.”

Defense Argument and Expert Opinion

In Jian’s defense, Roger Innes, a plant pathology expert from Indiana University, told the court that there was no evidence of harm to U.S. farmers or an attempt to create a more virulent fungal strain. He suggested the research was purely scientific and that Liu likely wanted to use the Michigan lab’s specialized microscope.

In a written statement to the court, Jian apologized, expressing regret for her actions. “I was under pressure to continue research and produce results, so I did not follow the rules,” she wrote. “The goal of my work was to protect crops from disease, not to harm anyone.”

Plea Deal and Outcome

Under a plea agreement, Jian admitted to charges of smuggling biological material and making false statements to investigators. In return, prosecutors dropped the conspiracy charge. She also confessed that in 2024 she had asked a colleague in China to send her fungal samples hidden inside a book — a package later intercepted by U.S. customs officials.

Her co-defendant, Zunyong Liu, remains in China and is unlikely to face trial in the United States, though he too has been formally indicted in the same Investigation.

What Is Fusarium Graminearum?

Fusarium graminearum is a fungal pathogen that causes Fusarium head blight, a severe crop disease that reduces grain yield and contaminates food with toxic compounds called mycotoxins. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies it as a controlled biological agent due to its potential impact on food security and agricultural exports.

Importing such pathogens without authorization violates the Plant Protection Act and federal biohazard transport laws, which require research institutions to maintain strict containment and reporting protocols.

Deportation and Aftermath

Following the sentencing, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Jian will be immediately deported to China. Officials did not disclose whether she would face additional penalties upon her return.

The case highlights growing scrutiny of foreign research collaborations in sensitive fields like biotechnology and agriculture, particularly those involving cross-border transfers of biological materials.

As Judge DeClercq concluded, “This case reminds us that even the pursuit of science must operate within the bounds of law.”