A Chinese scholar engaged in research at the University of Michigan has been arrested after federal investigators say she and her boyfriend conspired to smuggle a dangerous biological pathogen into the United States—one that the government warns could be used as an agricultural terrorism weapon.

Recently unsealed details of the counterintelligence case led by the FBI, as first reported by Detroit News, describe the suspects as 33-year-old Yunqing Jian, a Chinese citizen and scholar, and her 34-year-old boyfriend, Zunyong Liu.

Jian, who holds a doctorate in plant pathogens, is accused of using a Michigan lab to support research tied to Fusarium graminearum, a highly destructive crop disease capable of contaminating food supplies and harming humans and livestock.

Her boyfriend, Liu, allegedly smuggled the pathogen into Detroit Metro Airport last July and ultimately confessed to hiding it inside wads of tissue in his backpack to avoid detection by border agents, according to the FBI's affidavit.

"These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a 'potential agroterrorism weapon' into the heartland of America," said interim U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon, who called the incident one of "the gravest national security concerns."

While Jian now faces multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, smuggling, visa fraud, and lying to investigators, details regarding Liu's subsequent status are not explicitly stated in the available sources.

The pathogen in question, Fusarium graminearum, causes "head blight," a disease that can destroy staple crops like wheat, corn, and rice. Infected food can carry toxins capable of inducing vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive issues in both animals and humans.

The FBI says Jian received funding for her research from a foundation "largely funded by the Chinese government." The affidavit also claims Jian has pledged loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.

Initially denying knowledge of the reddish plant materials found in his luggage, Liu eventually admitted they were various strains of Fusarium graminearum. He told investigators he deliberately hid the samples so he could conduct research on them at the University of Michigan, where Juan worked, and said he planned to clone the strains and create more if his experiments failed.

Liu is not officially affiliated with any U.S. institution or research program.

Ticking "no" to the U.S. visa application question asking if he planned to commit espionage or other illegal acts, Liu was granted a B2 tourist visa in March 2024. He entered the U.S. just four months later.

By then, federal agents say he had already packed four baggies of smuggled plant material, along with a hidden Chinese-language note and filter paper.

A criminal complaint now released about the apprehension suggested Liu did intend to engage in espionage: "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."

This marks the second University of Michigan-linked Chinese national hit with federal charges in less than a week. A separate case recently unsealed involves a former student accused of voting illegally in the 2024 U.S. election before fleeing the country.