On Tuesday (December 21), a federal jury convicted renowned scientist and ex-Harvard Professor Dr Charlies Lieber for filing fake income tax returns, lying to the federal authorities about his ties to China, and failing to disclose foreign accounts to Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He was earlier arrested along with two Chinese nationals in January 2020 for fraud.
As per reports, Dr Charlies Lieber (62) worked as a ‘strategic scientist’ at the Wuhan Institute of Technology while keeping Harvard University in darkness. He had a 3-year-contract period with the WUI and was paid $50000 and $15800 monthly salary and living allowance respectively. He was paid more than $1.5 million for setting up a nanoscience research facility at the Wuhan Institute of Technology At the same time, he was contracted to take part in China’s Thousand Talents Plan, a mass recruitment programme between 2012 and 2017.
Lieber had also received $15 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health (NIH). FBI Special agent Joseph R Bonavolonta remarked, “Mr Lieber exploited the openness and transparency of our academic system. The FBI will not hesitate to work with our law enforcement partners to focus on those who put their financial and professional interests ahead of our country’s economic prosperity.
He added, “By Charles Lieber’s own admission – after we arrested him – the evidence against him was formidable. He repeatedly lied to his employer, the federal government, and taxpayers to fraudulently maintain access to federal research funds.” US attorney Nathaniel Mendell informed that Charles Lieber hid the fact that he participated in China’s Thousand Talents Plan and had concealed his Chinese bank accounts. Mendell added that Lieber had also lied to the IRS.
Although the quantum of punishment has not yet been announced, the federal jury found the American scientist guilty. He may face up to 5 years of jail time, 3 years of supervised release, and a $2,50,000 fine for 2 counts of making false statements and similar punishment for 2 counts of failure to file FBARs. At the same time, falsifying tax returns can lead to 3 years of jail, 1 year of supervised release, and a $1,00,000 fine.
As per Patrick Hegarty of the Northeast field office Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Dr Charlies Lieber had ‘eroded’ the trust of the Department of Defence in its researchers to prioritise the US over personal gains and foreign governments.
