Overview

• The Department of Justice unveiled June 3 charges against Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu for smuggling Fusarium, false declarations and visa fraud.
• Prosecutors allege the researchers used Detroit airport to covertly import the fungus classified as a potential agroterrorism weapon.
• Fusarium causes fusariose de l’épi in wheat, barley, maize and rice, inflicting billions of dollars in losses and producing toxins that damage human and livestock health.
• US authorities contend the samples were concealed to further Chinese government–funded studies at the University of Michigan.
• The case intensifies scrutiny on foreign research imports following Trump administration visa restrictions and the February detention of a Harvard scientist for undeclared biological samples.