An assistant professor at the Washington University School of Medicine, Gary Grajales-Reyes, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges after siphoning off $412,000 from the institution. Specializing in pathology and immunology, Grajales-Reyes confessed to a fraudulent scheme that involved claiming computer equipment for his research lab and then selling it through eBay and a third-party seller on Amazon, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri.
The deception, playing out over numerous false requisition requests for items like internal and external hard drives and graphics cards, saw Washington University pay through the nose for equipment that was then converted into personal gain, by Grajales-Reyes who set up a deceptive operation where the equipment was shipped to his lab and then unbeknownst to WashU Medicine he proceeded to sell this equipment and lined his pockets with the proceeds. The extensive scam included 73 separate orders for around 761 computer parts, cumulatively valued at around $412,163, with the illicit funds lavishly spent on personal expenses, including a collection of trading cards found by the FBI within his laboratory.
Under the weight of evidence gathered by the FBI, with the cooperative efforts of Washington University, Grajales-Reyes' tenure as an assistant professor has taken a backseat to his upcoming sentencing on December 4. "Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine," as laid out by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case against Grajales-Reyes to ensure accountability for the harm done to higher education.
