Accomplished Researcher Avoids Jail Time for Illegal Fungus Shipment

On November 13, 2025, a Chinese scientist named Yunqing Jian pleaded guilty to charges of smuggling biological materials and making false statements to investigators. Jian, who was a temporary researcher at a University of Michigan lab, was arrested in June 2025 and accused of conspiring with her boyfriend to study and transport a toxic fungus known as Fusarium graminearum, which can attack crops like wheat, barley, maize, and rice.

In 2024, Jian's boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, was caught carrying small samples of the fungus while arriving at a Detroit airport. Jian and Liu had specialized in studying Fusarium graminearum in China, but it is illegal to bring the pathogen into the US without a government permit, which the university did not have.

Despite the potential for "devastating harm," the assistant US attorney said there was no evidence that Jian had "evil intent." An expert who reviewed the case also noted that there was "no risk to US farmers, or anyone else" and that Liu likely wanted to work with a unique microscope at the lab.

In the end, the judge sentenced Jian to time served, which amounted to five months in jail, and she will be quickly deported. The conspiracy charge against her was dropped in exchange for the guilty plea. Jian's boyfriend, Liu, was also charged but remains in China and is unlikely to return to the US.