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Harvard University Agrees to $53 Million Settlement Following Cedric Lodge's Theft of Donated Human Remains

Harvard University has agreed to a $53 million settlement to resolve civil lawsuits regarding the negligence of its former morgue manager, Cedric Lodge. Between 2018 and 2022, Lodge took organs, brains, and other body parts from donated cadavers without permission, shipping them to buyers in several states. While Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison for his criminal actions, the settlement addresses the school's failure to oversee its Anatomical Gift Program. As part of the agreement, Harvard Medical School will establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students starting in the 2027-28 academic year to honor anatomical donors. The school also pledged to provide a live webinar for claimant families to condemn Lodge's conduct as "morally reprehensible." Deans George Q. Daley and Bernard S. Chang stated that the settlement avoids prolonged litigation while prioritizing support for donor families. The school has already enacted several recommendations from an outside expert panel to improve governance and policies regarding the handling of donated remains.

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