Midwest
Chinese bio-smuggling suspect cries in court over federal detention
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Two Chinese nationals accused of smuggling biological materials into the United States appeared in court Friday as federal authorities fight to keep them detained in cases they say concern “national security.”
University of Michigan post-doctoral research fellow Yunqing Jian and Huazhong University of Science and Technology student Chengxuan Han were ordered to remain in federal custody as their separate cases remain ongoing.
During the hearing, Han, who is accused of mailing packages containing biological materials to the University of Michigan’s laboratory, became visibly emotional and was seen choking back tears when she learned her preliminary hearing had been pushed to a later date.
In her brief detention hearing Friday, Han’s attorney said her client is consenting to detention without prejudice and will remain in federal custody.
CCP LOYALIST SHOULD BE SENT TO GITMO AFTER ARREST FOR ALLEGED PATHOGEN SMUGGLING, SAYS CHINA EXPERT
Chenqxan Han appears in federal court for a detention hearing in Michigan on Friday, Jun. 13, 2025. Han, a Chinese citizen, is accused of smuggling biological materials into the United States. (Carole Kabrin )
Yunqing Jian appears in a Michigan federal courtroom for a detention hearing on Friday, Jun. 13, 2025. Jian allegedly conspired with her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, to transport a toxic crop-killing pathogen to the United States. (Carole Kabrin )
“Ms. Han is presumed innocent, and we will await further proceedings to comment any further,” her attorney previously said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Han’s preliminary hearing was initially set for June 23, but was subsequently rescheduled for June 30. Both Han and Jian will remain in federal custody until their next hearings.
Jian and her boyfriend, Chinese researcher Zunyong Liu, were charged this month after they first attempted to transport Fusarium graminearum, a “potential agroterrorism weapon” that can inflict dangerous health effects on humans, into the country in August 2022, prosecutors said.
“The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals—including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party—are of the gravest national security concerns,” interm U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Jerome Gorgon said in a statement. “These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”
Han was also arrested in June after allegedly mailing four packages containing undeclared biological material to individuals working in the University of Michigan’s laboratory from September 2024 to March 2025, according to the criminal complaint.
A Chinese student in the U.S. had a friend ship Fusarium graminearum to her in a textbook, according to the FBI. (FBI)
In the case of Jian and Liu, a WeChat conversation allegedly revealed the couple brainstorming ways to transport the substance, with Jian ultimately deciding to stash the bags in her shoes.
The fungus causes a “head blight,” described as a disease of wheat, maize, rice and barley, and is responsible for billions of dollars of economic losses throughout the world each year, according to the Department of Justice. If ingested by humans, the substance can cause vomiting, liver damage and “reproductive defects in humans and livestock.”
Friday’s detention hearing lasted approximately two minutes, with Jian appearing in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffed around the waist. A federal judge adjourned the hearing until next Friday due to Jian’s request to seek private counsel.
According to the criminal complaint, Jian initially received Chinese government funding for her work on the pathogen while studying at the University of Michigan and allegedly lied on her student visa application regarding her education plans in the U.S. Prosecutors allege Jian first attempted to smuggle the fungus into the U.S. in 2022, with one instance of her asking a third party to send her Fusarium graminearum in January 2024.
Jian’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
CHINESE OFFICIAL CLAIMS NO KNOWLEDGE OF FUNGUS SITUATION, SAYS CHINA REQUIRES CITIZENS ‘ABIDE BY LOCAL LAWS’
Baggies seized by Border Patrol containing the dangerous fungus Fusarium graminearum. (FBI)
“There are usually no problems,” Jian said in a message to the third person. “Rest assured. I have mailed these before.”
The most recent smuggling attempt allegedly occurred in July 2024, when Liu arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport to visit Jian, according to authorities. Upon landing, Liu was flagged by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and subsequently searched.
Authorities allegedly discovered “a wad of tissues crumpled up in a small pocket in Liu’s backpack,” according to the affidavit.
SUSPECTED CHINESE BIOTERRORISTS SMUGGLED KILLER AGENT INTO US IN BOOTS, OFFICIALS SAY
“The tissues concealed a note in Chinese, a round piece of filter paper with a series of circles drawn on it, and four clear plastic baggies with small clumps of reddish plant material inside,” the affidavit said.
The filter paper was sent for testing by the FBI, which revealed it contained Fusarium graminearum, according to authorities. The plastic baggies also allegedly carried material that was contaminated by the fungus, authorities said.
“In addition, the laboratory identified 10 separate samples from the filter paper,” the affidavit said. “Each sample had a hand drawn circle around it, and each circle was labeled with a code containing letters and/or numbers. The sample labeled ‘06172’ was identified by the FBI laboratory to contain the DNA sequence for Fusarium graminearum.”
Liu allegedly denied carrying the pathogen, but later admitted to bringing it to the U.S. intentionally, officials said. He allegedly told authorities the pair planned to use the university’s laboratory to conduct research.
PATEL: CHINESE NATIONALS CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING ‘KNOWN AGROTERRORISM AGENT’ INTO US IS A ‘DIRECT THREAT’
Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are charged with conspiracy, making false statements, visa fraud and smuggling goods into the U.S. (iStock)
“These individuals exploited their access to laboratory facilities at a local university to engage in the smuggling of biological pathogens, an act that posed an imminent threat to public safety,” Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said in a statement.
Both Jian and Liu are charged with conspiracy, making false statements, visa fraud and smuggling goods into the U.S.
CHINESE STUDENT ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY SMUGGLING UNDECLARED BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS SEEN IN NEW MUGSHOT
“As one of the world’s leading public research institutions, the University of Michigan is dedicated to advancing knowledge, solving challenging problems and improving nearly every facet of the human experience,” the university previously said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university’s critical public mission. It is important to note that the university has received no funding from the Chinese government in relation to research conducted by the accused individuals. We have and will continue to cooperate with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation and prosecution.”
Han also made an appearance in federal court Friday. She is charged with smuggling goods into the U.S. and making false statements, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
CHINESE PHD STUDENT FROM WUHAN ARRESTED SMUGGLING BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS AFTER DELETING ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE: DOJ
Chengxuan Han is facing federal charges in a smuggling case. (The Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities allege Han, a Ph.D. student at Wuhan’s College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, mailed four packages containing undeclared biological materials to staff members at the University of Michigan’s laboratory.
Han was arrested on Sunday while traveling to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport from Shanghai on a J1 visa. Upon her arrival, Han was searched by CBP officers, and subsequently confronted about the packages.
According to the criminal complaint, Han allegedly denied mailing the packages, but later admitted she had sent them after being pressed by authorities. Han initially told CBP officers the packages only contained plastic cups – not petri dishes – and a book, according to court documents.
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A package seized by CBP agents allegedly contained a plasmids biological sample mailed by Chengxuan Han. (Department of Justice)
Han allegedly confessed to sending the packages, which contained roundworm-related biomaterials, telling FBI and Homeland Security officials that she had initially lied to CBP agents. Officers also discovered Han’s electronic devices had been wiped of their content three days before her arrival in the U.S.
FORMER US ARMY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST SENTENCED FOR SELLING SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS TO CHINESE NATIONAL
A package seized by CBP agents allegedly contained eight Petri dishes containing biological materials mailed by Chengxuan Han. (Department of Justice)
“The alleged smuggling of biological materials by this alien from a science and technology university in Wuhan, China – to be used at a University of Michigan laboratory – is part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security,” Gorgon said in a statement. “The American taxpayer should not be underwriting a PRC-based smuggling operation at one of our crucial public institutions.”
Fox News’ Olivianna Calmes and Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.
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FLINT, Mich. – On June 8, 1953, disaster struck the north side of Flint and the northern suburb of Beecher when the Flint-Beecher tornado, Michigan’s worst natural disaster in terms of deaths and injuries, tore through the area.
The Flint-Beecher tornado remains the only tornado to strike Southeast Lower Michigan rated F5 on the Fujita scale.
According to the National Weather Service, an F5 tornado produces “incredible damage,” with winds estimated between 261 and 318 mph — powerful enough to level strong frame houses, hurl automobile-sized debris more than 100 meters and debark trees.
The scale of the storm was staggering. At 800 yards wide, the tornado didn’t just destroy homes — it erased entire blocks, entire neighborhoods, entire chapters of people’s lives in the span of minutes. Winds are believed to have exceeded 200 mph.
The tornado traveled 27 miles at approximately 35 mph, killing 116 people and injuring 844 others in its path.
For those in its way, there was little warning and almost nowhere to go.
It stands as the deadliest natural disaster in Michigan history and the 10th deadliest in United States history.
The aftermath
So many people were killed that the National Guard Armory and other buildings were temporarily converted into morgues. More than 100 people — families and friends of victims — waited outside in the rain for hours before they could enter to identify the bodies.
State Police Captain James Berardo warned the people outside that the tornado had horribly battered some victims and that the scene inside would be gruesome.
The Flint-Beecher tornado claimed lives ranging from as young as 5 months to as old as 80.
Of the 116 killed, 55 were under 20 years old — and five of those were less than a year old. Of the 844 injured, the last two survivors to be hospitalized were not discharged until five months after the tornado.
At least 20 families reported losing more than one member. The Gensel and Gatica families each lost five people.
Community response
In the wake of the disaster, state troopers, the National Guard and the Red Cross quickly mobilized to assist. Within 12 hours of the tornado, they provided first aid, food and clothing to survivors.
The National Weather Service noted in their Beecher 50th Anniversary Commemoration that the Flint-Beecher Tornado was one of eight tornadoes that occurred that evening across the eastern portion of the Lower Peninsula, resulting in an additional nine deaths and 52 injuries.
The tornado destroyed nearly 340 homes, with 107 sustaining major damage and 153 experiencing minor damage. An additional 50 businesses and other buildings were damaged, totaling an estimated $19 million — nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in today’s money.
Rebuilding the community
Beecher was able to rebuild thanks to the broader Flint community, which rallied around a “Red Feather” campaign to gather relief and rebuilding funds. Combined with Red Cross support, the effort helped the community get back on its feet.
In the late summer of 1953, a community-supported “Builder Bees” project brought volunteers together to help rebuild homes lost in the tornado.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses nearly a year ago, will not face the death penalty on federal charges.
The U.S. Department of Justice said there was no recommendation to seek the death penalty in the June 14, 2025, shootings, which killed former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounded Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
“Bringing justice to the families and loved ones of victims of violence is the number one priority of the Department of Justice,” a spokesperson for the agency said in a written statement to WCCO on Monday. “Prosecutors worked hard on this case to make sure he was held accountable to the fullest extent possible.”
Boelter, 58, is facing six federal charges, including two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of firearms violations. He appeared in court in April in connection with the criminal case.
According to federal law, the two counts of murder are punishable by death or life in prison, though the federal agency, which cited case law, said the stalking charges weren’t likely death penalty-eligible.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen submitted a recommendation regarding the death penalty in April to the assistant attorney general for the criminal division of the agency.
Boelter also faces state charges, including two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count each of felony cruelty to an animal and impersonating an officer. A guilty verdict for one of the first-degree murder charges carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The Hoffman family has filed a lawsuit against Boelter, which accuses him of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and negligence per se, according to the civil complaint.
NOTE: The attached video first aired on April 17.
Missouri
Missouri Supreme Court declines to hear case about tax issue on August ballot, just before deadline
The Missouri Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an appeal to a case against a proposed constitutional amendment that aims to eliminate the state income tax by expanding sales and use taxes to make up for lost revenue.
That means Missouri voters will decide on the Aug. 4 primary election whether to give lawmakers the ability to expand those taxes.
In May, Gov. Mike Kehoe announced the proposed amendment, titled Amendment 5, would appear on the August ballot instead of the November one.
A lawsuit filed against the amendment argued that it improperly amended Missouri’s constitution. It also called the ballot’s summary statement misleading.
Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh rejected those arguments last week. The plaintiffs appealed the ruling.
On Friday, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals also ruled that the amendment will remain on the August ballot.
However, the court reversed Limbaugh’s ruling on the summary, saying it must be changed because it did not provide enough information.
The new summary, put forth by the Court of Appeals, will now say:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
• Require legislative phase-out of the individual state income tax based on revenue growth, and authorize the expansion of sales and use taxes;
• Curtail constitutional limits on taxing goods and services; and
• Require local tax rate cuts without reducing school funding if local sales tax revenue increases?
Despite succeeding on the ballot summary portion of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs in the case further appealed the decision to the Missouri Supreme Court.
Because the Missouri Supreme Court decided not to hear the case, the Court of Appeals ruling stands. That means the amendment will be listed on the August ballot.
The courts had a tight deadline to rule on this case. State law requires all changes to the primary ballot to be finalized on Tuesday, June 9.
In addition to Amendment 5, three other proposed constitutional amendments will appear on the same ballot, including one that aims to make it harder to amend Missouri’s constitution through the initiative petition process.
Missouri voters have approved constitutional amendments brought forward via initiative petition in prior elections, including overturning Missouri’s near total abortion ban and legalizing recreational marijuana.
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