University of Florida professor accused of defrauding NASA

by Stevie Smith - Feb 26 2009, 17:00

The University of Florida is in the news for all the wrong reasons today after prominent professor of radiological engineering Samim Anghaie was implemented by federal authorities in connection to the defrauding of U.S. space administration NASA.

Known as the founder of the university’s Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute, the professor’s campus offices were raided by FBI agents on Wednesday in connection to an ongoing investigation, confirmed FBI spokesman Jeff Westcott.

According to investigators from both the FBI and NASA, the U.S. government has awarded Anghaie’s company New Era Technology Inc. some 13 major contracts since 1999, depositing around $3.4 million USD into the company account in the process.

However, CNN reports that an affidavit filed on February 19 claims Anghaie and his wife Souson (who serves as company president) are guilty of siphoning off vast amounts of money from their New Era Technology account in order to purchase a variety of expensive personal material goods.

In adding weight to the accusations, court documents have said the Anghaies abused federal grant initiatives designed to stimulate advances in the field of technological innovation, and submitted “multiple fraudulent certified contract proposals to NASA, in order to receive the maximum funding for proposed research contracts.”

The documents also suggest the couple’s fraudulent activity included submitting invoices claiming payment reimbursement for a number of “alleged employees”.

Samim Anghaie, a professor of note with the University of Florida for almost three decades, is on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.

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