Recent Settlements Involving Investigators, Grant Officials

Allegations of grant fraud by investigators can result in financial payments being made to the federal government by the awardee institution. For example, in August of last year, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and its parent companies paid $10 million related to the work of two stem cell researchers under investigation for misconduct. But these allegations may also be resolved with payments by investigators alone. Recently Christian Schunn, a University of Pittsburgh professor, agreed to pay $132,000 and accept some prohibitions on federal funding to settle allegations that he falsified approval by an institutional review board (IRB) in National Science Foundation awards (see story, p. 4).

In March, the CEO of a private firm paid $100,000 stemming from alleged misuse of NSF and Department of Energy funds (see news brief, page 12).

The following are other recent cases in which investigators, and in one case a research compliance official, made payments either through settlements or a conviction for fraud involving federal awards. None involve falsifications related to IRBs.

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