U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss | U.S. Department of Justice
The University of Delaware has agreed to pay $715,580 to settle allegations related to a professor's undisclosed affiliations with the Chinese government. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, David C. Weiss, announced the settlement concerning a NASA grant awarded to the university in June 2020.
Federal law since 2011 prohibits NASA from using funds for collaborations with China or Chinese-owned companies. Allegations suggest that the university caused NASA to breach this law by not disclosing that one of its principal investigators was linked to the Chinese government through employment at a Chinese university, participation in a recruitment program by China for individuals with access to foreign technology intellectual property, and receiving a grant from China's National Natural Science Foundation.
David C. Weiss stated, "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." He emphasized his office's commitment to holding accountable those who compromise the federal grant process.
Adelle K. Harris from NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) highlighted their dedication to pursuing individuals who conceal foreign affiliations: “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.”
The settlement was achieved through collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Delaware and NASA-OIG, managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shamoor Anis and Claudia L. Pare. It is important to note that these claims are allegations only; no liability has been determined.
