David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that the University of Delaware (UD), located in Newark, has agreed to pay $715,580 to resolve civil allegations that it failed to disclose a UD professor’s affiliations with and support from the government of the People’s Republic of China in connection with federal research funding.
This settlement relates to a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) grant that was issued to UD in June 2020. Since 2011, federal law has prohibited NASA from using funds to collaborate with China or any Chinese-owned companies. The settlement resolves allegations that UD caused NASA to violate this law by failing to disclose that one of the principal investigators on the grant was affiliated with the Chinese government through: (1) employment at a Chinese university; (2) participation in a program established by the Chinese government to recruit individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property; and (3) a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. “Federal law requires universities, institutions, and researchers to make disclosures, including certain foreign affiliations, when applying for grants so that the granting agencies can assess whether to fund their research and development,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss.
“My office will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications.”“NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) is dedicated to identifying and aggressively pursuing individuals who conceal affiliations with foreign entities and undermine the integrity of our academic system to obtain research funding,” said Adelle K. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Field Office, NASA OIG.
“We commend the exceptional investigative efforts of our agents, and the work of the USAO for the District of Delaware that resulted in this settlement. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to safeguard taxpayer funds that are intended for federal research and development programs.”The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware and NASA-OIG. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shamoor Anis and Claudia L. Pare for the District of Delaware.The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source USDOJ