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Harvard University Reaches $53 Million Settlement Over Stolen Donated Human Remains
Just the facts
Harvard University agreed to establish two funds totaling $53 million to settle claims from families whose relatives' donated cadaver parts were stolen from the Harvard Medical School morgue. Former morgue manager Cedric Lodge was previously sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of transporting stolen human remains across state lines between 2018 and 2020. The legal settlement requires Harvard to issue a formal statement condemning the actions and create an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students starting in the 2027–2028 academic year. A final court approval hearing for the class-action agreement is scheduled for December 9, 2026.
Why this is news
Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Debra A. Squires-Lee granted preliminary approval to a $53 million class-action settlement resolving lawsuits against Harvard University over its anatomical gift program.
Sources
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