This past June, Chinese national Chengxuan Han, a doctoral student at the College of Life Science and Technology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, sent packages of biological material to the U.S. in 2024 and 2025. That same month, two other Chinese nationals — Yunqin Jian and Zunyong Liu — were charged with conspiracy for smuggling a fungus considered an "agroterrorism weapon" to the University of Michigan lab.
Now one of those Chinese nationals, Yunquin Jian, has been deported for her role in smuggling that "vomitoxin" into the U.S.
Chinese scientist who smuggled dangerous ‘vomitoxin’ fungus into US has been deported https://t.co/FL4i04BE6n pic.twitter.com/IZTZX1am5F
— New York Post (@nypost) December 2, 2025
A Chinese researcher who smuggled a crop-killing fungus dubbed "vomitoxin" into the U.S. has been deported, officials announced Monday.
Yunqing Jian, 33, who once worked for the University of Michigan, pleaded guilty last month to conspiring to smuggle the biological pathogen into the States, reportedly to continue researching it, and then lying to the FBI about her actions. She was sentenced to time served — then booted.
FBI Director Dan Bongino confirmed Monday in a post on X that Jian has been kicked out of the country after her conviction.
Here's that post from Bongino:
Your @FBI has even more updates for you on our efforts to defend the homeland and protect the American people:
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) December 1, 2025
-Kevin Luke, a retired Army Colonel, pleaded guilty to unauthorized communication of national defense information and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal…
"Yunqing Jian, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, pleaded guilty to charges of smuggling a DANGEROUS biological pathogen into our country and then lying about it to FBI agents, and was DEPORTED," Bongino wrote. "The FBI will not stand by and allow our foreign adversaries to exploit our top-notch university facilities in furtherance of their agendas. Thank you @FBIDetroit and @CBPNorthAmerica."
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This raises serious questions about the aims of Chinese nationals in the U.S. and the aims of such behaviors. Few believe Jian and others are simply bringing these biological pathogens into the country for "research."
The CCP is into using biological weapons in war. She should not have been just deported…
— Prisha Mosley🦎 (@detransaqua) December 3, 2025
A fungus that devastates crops? Yeah, that's not something for which she should've merely been deported.
Not nearly harsh enough. Threatening our food supply is the most extreme act of espionage imaginable. Death penalty.
— Sensitive Young Fascist (@schizoretard18) December 2, 2025
That would make an example.
Why we didn’t publicly hang a Chinese national who tried to smuggle in a fungus that could wipe out our food supply I’ll never know.
— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) December 2, 2025
This will continue to happen https://t.co/SHHpuBUNXG
Yes, it will. And it'll be a massive problem if those pathogens "leak" — COVID was just six years ago, remember.
Plead quilty. Deported. Excellent. Now, it is time for the WHY. Why was Jian trying to bring Fusarium graminearum, which kills wheat, barley, maize and rice, into the US? What is China's intent? How many more of Jians did we miss? Eyes wide open. https://t.co/S231dbCTxS
— William Evanina (@BillEvanina) December 2, 2025
Even one is too many to miss.
it seems like every month this year a new Chinese scientist has smuggled something toxic that we don’t even know exists in the states.
— amanda (@amandatalks__) December 2, 2025
feels like we should be doing more about this (like banning Chinese students!) https://t.co/rhw9tnvtY7
There should be a blanket ban on Chinese nationals to protect America, for a variety of reasons including our crops and food supply.
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