Former Chemistry Chair Convicted

Harvard professor Charles M. Lieber was found guilty in December of lying to federal authorities about his ties to China.

Lieber, a renowned research chemist, was arrested on Harvard’s campus in January 2020 for allegedly lying to federal investigators about his ties to China's Thousand Talents Program — a state-sponsored recruitment initiative aimed at attracting overseas science talent to the country.

A federal jury found Lieber guilty in December of six felony charges, including two counts of making false statements to investigators and four tax offenses. During the week-long trial, prosecutors said Lieber concealed his ties to the TTP in pursuit of money and notoriety.

The Lieber case served as a high-profile test for the Department of Justice’s controversial China Initiative, an anti-espionage crackdown started under the Trump administration that critics have accused of racial bias.

Lieber, who is currently battling incurable lymphoma, will be sentenced at a later hearing. His conviction carries a maximum prison sentence of 26 years and up to $1.2 million in fines.

—Isabella B. Cho, Crimson Staff Writer