A federal grand jury in the District of Maryland has indicted a Pennsylvania man on charges of defrauding the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) of approximately $16 million in federal grant funds.
Hoau-Yan Wang, 67, held a tenured position as a medical professor at a public university’s medical school.
Additionally, he served as a paid advisor and consultant to a Texas biopharmaceutical company that trades publicly.
According to court documents, from May 2015 to April 2023, Wang allegedly orchestrated a scheme involving the fabrication and falsification of scientific data in grant applications submitted to the NIH.
These applications, on behalf of both himself and the biopharmaceutical company, sought funding for research into a potential treatment and diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease.
The result: approximately $16 million in grant awards between 2017 and 2021, funding Wang’s laboratory and salary.
Alleged Fraudulent Activities
The indictment details Wang’s involvement in early-stage research (Phase 1 and Phase 2) of the proposed drug and diagnostic test.
It accuses him of falsifying scientific data related to the functionality of the proposed treatments and their impact on Alzheimer’s disease indicators post-treatment.
Legal Charges and Potential Penalties
Wang faces serious legal consequences, including charges of major fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false statements.
If convicted, he could receive up to 10 years for major fraud, 20 years for each wire fraud count, and 5 years for making false statements.
Official Statements and Investigation
The announcement of Wang’s indictment was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office.
The FBI is actively investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Andrew Tyler, Deputy Chief Anna Kaminska, and Assistant Chief Leslie Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting.
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