Harvard To Pay 507 Crore Over Body Parts Scandal

Harvard University has agreed to pay around Rs 507 crore as part of a settlement over a shocking body parts trafficking case linked to its medical school. The settlement is aimed at resolving lawsuits filed by families whose loved ones had donated their bodies for medical research.

The controversy came to light after former Harvard Medical School morgue manager Cedric Lodge was accused of stealing human remains from the facility. Prosecutors said he removed parts including heads, brains, skin, hands and other organs from donated cadavers.

Lodge allegedly transported the stolen remains to his home in New Hampshire, where they were sold to buyers through a black market network. The shocking scheme reportedly continued for several years before authorities uncovered it in 2023.

Lodge later pleaded guilty to charges related to the interstate transportation of stolen human remains. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in December 2025, while his wife Denise Lodge also received a prison sentence for her involvement in the operation.

Several families whose relatives had donated their bodies to Harvard filed lawsuits, accusing the university of failing to properly monitor the morgue and protect the donated remains. A Massachusetts court later allowed the lawsuits against Harvard to proceed.

As part of the settlement, Harvard Medical School will establish funds for affected families, subject to final court approval. The institution has also promised further measures, including an annual scholarship honouring anatomical donors, in an effort to rebuild trust after the disturbing scandal.