Harvard to pay $53 million over stolen body parts

Harvard University has agreed to set up $53 million in settlement funds after its former medical school morgue manager stole and sold body parts donated for scientific research.

US media reported that a Boston state court judge gave preliminary approval to the plan on Tuesday. Harvard said in a Monday letter that it would seek court permission to create two class action settlement funds totaling $53 million.

Cedric Lodge, who managed the Harvard Medical School morgue before being fired in 2023, was sentenced to eight years in prison in December after pleading guilty to trafficking stolen remains.

Investigators said Lodge and his wife took body parts from the school without the knowledge or permission of Harvard, donors or donors' families, and shipped them to buyers in other states from 2018.

Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley and Bernard Chang, dean for medical education, said in the letter that the settlement was intended to support affected families and avoid prolonged litigation. They called Lodge's actions a betrayal of the medical community and said the school was sorry for families who may have been affected.

Harvard said distributing funds is expected to take several months. Lodge's wife, Denise Lodge, was sentenced earlier to one year in prison. Six other co-conspirators who bought remains from Lodge have also pleaded guilty and received sentences.

Harvard Medical School said it will also create an annual financial aid scholarship starting in the 2027-28 academic year in appreciation and honor of anatomical donors. The settlement plan includes a pledge to give claimant families a statement condemning Lodge's crimes and to describe improvements to the organ donation program.