On June 3, the Eastern District Attorney's Office of Michigan said two Chinese citizens accused of smuggling a type of mushroom considered a "potential weapon of agricultural terrorism" into the United States.
The two defendants, Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34), are both citizens of the People's Republic of China. They were prosecuted in a criminal lawsuit for charges including smuggling goods into the US, false declaration and visa fraud.
Notably, this is the second time in a week that a Chinese citizen who is linked to the University of Michigan has been prosecuted in a federal investigation.
Last week, another Chinese citizen studying at the university in Ann Arbor City was accused of illegally voting in the November 2024 election.
Jian works at the University of Michigan while Liu, Jians boyfriend, is a lecturer at a university in China, according to officials.
The investigation is a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI) and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Federal prosecutor Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. The two Chinese citizens' alleged actions pose the most serious threat to national security.
Mr. Gorgon Jr. added that the two foreigners were prosecuted for smuggling a type of mushroom considered a potential agricultural terrorist weapon into the US inland, where they appeared to be planning to use the University of Michigan laboratory to serve their plot.
The prosecutor's announcement was supported by Special Agency in charge of Cheyvoryea Gibson ( FBI area Detroit) and CEO mart C. Raybon (CBP).
Mr. Raybon commented that this is a complex investigation, with coordination between many CBP offices nationwide and federal agencies.
The scientific name of the mushroom is Fusarium graminearum, which experts classify as a group of plants that can be used as a biological weapon in agricultural terrorism.
According to officials, this type of mushroom causes "flower spurs" in wheat, barley, corn and rice, causing billions of USD in damage each year globally. This mushroom-based toxin can cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive disorders in humans and livestock.
For its part, the University of Michigan strongly condemned any acts of harm, threat to national security or undermining the school's public mission, while noting that the school did not receive any funding from the Chinese government related to the studies of the defendants.
We have and will continue to work closely with federal law enforcement agencies throughout the investigation and prosecution of the case, the University of Michigan responded to the incident.
