In a rare federal W, the FBI, USDA-APHIS, USDA-NSD (Yes, there's a federal law enforcment branch of the USDA), and CBP have arrested a Chinese researcher and her boyfriend for smuggling several samples of
fusarium graminearum into the United States (Farms
link with indictment, original instance on the farms
link). What the fuck is
f. graminearum? It is the causative agent for fusarium scab and a
select bioterrorisim agent*, a disease which can ruin cereal crops with 100% lethality throughout the entire US east of the Rocky Mountains. The penalty for the bioterrorisim offenses is 20 years per a violation. She is currently facing possibly 98+ years in prison.
Enjoy prison deportation, life sentence child 
.
In a bizzare, crackieta like adventure, she lied on her student study visa, lied to her professor in the US about the experiments she was doing, lied to the feds, and is now sitting in jail because she forgot that you shouldn't document your crimes smuggling agricultural bioweapons on social media (Wechat/whatsapp).
*
f. graminearum is considered agricultural select agent for "research" into the USA. Other select agents include the causitives of smallpox, black death, Viral Hemoragic Fevers (Ebola and co), Bacterial leaf scortch, et al. While it is not as bad as smallpox or the VHFs, it's important enough that there's a univeristy tool that calculates the risk of it daily (
Link to outside the farms). Here's an example of the risk area on a good day.
Fox has published a denial by the Chinese embassy:
"I don't know the specific situation, but I would like to emphasize that the Chinese government has always required overseas Chinese citizens to abide by local laws and regulations and will also resolutely safeguard their legitimate rights and interests," said Liu Pengyu
