Harvard agrees to pay $53 million after former morgue manager sold donated body parts

By Greta Ruffino Published on 19/08/2026 - 15:42 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp A Boston state court judge gave preliminary approval to the settlement on Tuesday, according to US media, with Harvard saying the distribution of funds is expected to take several months. Harvard University has agreed to pay $53 million (€45.5 million) to settle claims linked to a former morgue manager who stole and sold body parts donated for medical research, with a Boston court reportedly approving the settlement on Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue at Harvard Medical School until he was dismissed in 2023, was sentenced to eight years in prison in December after pleading guilty to trafficking stolen human remains. Harvard said on Monday it would seek court approval to establish “two class action settlement funds totaling $53 million.” "We are grateful to be working together with the plaintiffs to move forward in a way that prioritizes support for families and the (organ donation program) and avoids prolonged litigation,"said Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley and Dean for Medical Education Bernard Chang in a joint letter. Related Jason Arday, former Cambridge University professor at centre of plagiarism row, found dead at home They described Lodge’s actions as “despicable, abhorrent, and a flagrant betrayal of our values as a medical community.” Investigators found that Lodge and his wife had been removing body parts from the school since 2018 “without the knowledge or permission of his employer, the donor, or the donor’s family” before sending them to buyers in other states. Lodge’s wife, Denise, was previously sentenced to one year in prison, while six others who bought human remains from him pleaded guilty and were also sentenced. Harvard Medical School said it would establish an annual financial aid scholarship from the 2027-28 academic year “in appreciation and in honor of all of our anatomical donors.” Under the settlement plan, the school will also provide affected families with a statement condemning Lodge’s crimes and outline changes made to its anatomical donation programme. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Two UK universities merge to form country's first ‘super-university’ University booted from India AI summit after claiming China-made robotic dog as its own Harvard agrees to pay $53 million after former morgue manager sold donated body parts university Harvard United States