Harvard agrees to US$53m settlement over body parts stolen and sold
Harvard Medical School will pay US$53 million to settle lawsuits over body parts stolen by a former morgue manager.Summary
Harvard Medical School has agreed to a US$53 million settlement to resolve class-action lawsuits filed by relatives of body donors whose remains were sold on the black market by former morgue manager Cedric Lodge. The settlement, pending court approval, establishes two funds totaling US$53 million. Lodge, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2023, stole body parts including brains, skin, hands, and faces, shipping them to buyers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. His wife and six other buyers also received prison sentences. Harvard stated it cannot determine precisely which donors' remains were stolen. The settlement covers relatives of donors between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023. In addition to the payments, Harvard will provide families with a statement condemning Lodge's actions and summarizing program improvements. The school also plans to establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students beginning in the 2027-28 academic year.
(Source：Jamaica Gleaner)