Fungus in "agroterrorism" arrest already widely prevalent in U.S., researcher says
CBSN
The fungus labeled a "potential agroterrorism weapon" in a recent arrest touted by the Trump administration likely originated in North America and is already widely prevalent around the country, a researcher who studied the fungus for the federal government says.
University of Michigan researcher Yunqing Jian and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, were charged with trying to smuggle strains of a fungus called Fusarium graminearum into the United States. Jian worked at the University of Michigan, according to officials, and Liu works at a Chinese university. The two have co-authored research into the fungus.
"I can confirm that the FBI arrested a Chinese national within the United States who allegedly smuggled a dangerous biological pathogen into the country," FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday in a post on X.
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