Ce champignon toxique est responsable de la fusariose de l’épi, qui touche « le blé, l’orge, le maïs et le riz, provoquant des milliards de dollars de pertes économiques dans le monde chaque année », selon un communiqué du ministère de la justice américain.

Zunyong Liu admitted to smuggling the fungus so he could conduct research on it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend worked, said officials.

One of the Chinese citizens worked at a University of Michigan lab; her boyfriend smuggled in the biological pathogen, according to court records.