Nate Raymond

BOSTON, (Reuters) – A Harvard University professor falsified U.S. authorities about his ties with a China-run recruiting program. This was a prosecution statement on Tuesday. The trial, which is closely monitored in a crackdown against Chinese influence in U.S. Research, neared its conclusion.

Jason Casey, an assistant U.S.A. attorney from Boston, stated to a federal jury that Charles Lieber (a world-renowned nanoscientist, former chairman of Harvard’s chemical department) lied to U.S. agents to safeguard his career, and to secure the Nobel Prize.

Casey claimed that Lieber (62) had given consent to join a Chinese university to participate in China’s Thousand Talents Program. This program, which China prosecutors claim is designed to attract foreign researchers into sharing their knowledge, was evidence of Lieber’s willingness to do so.

Casey, however, stated in closing that Lieber denied involvement after being confronted by Harvard officials and the U.S. Defense Department. He had been awarded $15 million in research grants and could have been threatened.

“With all the stakes on the table, what did defendant do?” Casey asked. He made up a story.

Marc Mukasey was Lieber’s lawyer. He countered that his case was flawed and relied upon missing documents as well as a confused interview with FBI agents following his arrest.

“Without these critical items of proof, without the evidence that’s missing, the government cannot prove the charges in this case beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.

This trial is a testing ground for the U.S. Justice Department’s “China Initiative” launched in 2018 to counter Chinese economic espionage. Critics claim that the initiative hinders academic research, and discriminates against Chinese researchers.

Lieber will be tried on six charges of filing false returns, making false statements, and failure to disclose an account in China.

Prosecutors charged Lieber with tax and bank accounts charges for the $50,000 monthly income Lieber earned while affiliated from 2011 to 2015 at Wuhan University of Technology, China.