LI Professor Who Stole Cancer Research Funds Sentenced To Prison

LONG ISLAND, NY — Geoffrey Girnun, a former professor and cancer researcher at Stony Brook University, was sentenced to prison on Tuesday for stealing roughly $225,000 meant for cancer research, the United States Department of Justice announced.

Girnun, 49, of Woodmere, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for theft of government funds related to a grant he received to research the effect of certain molecules on cancer. Girnun was an associate professor at the school's Department of Pathology of Medicine.

Girnun pleaded guilty in January 2020 and agreed to forfeit $225,000, as well as resign from his position at Stony Brook University. He was also ordered to pay $225,000 in restitution to the National Institutes of Health and Stony Brook University.

Seth D. DuCharme, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence with William F. Sweeney Jr., assistant director-in-charge of the FBI's New York Field Office and Scott J. Lampert, special agent-in-charge, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

"The defendant’s theft of cancer research funds undermined the important mission of the National Institute of Health, Stony Brook University and his fellow researchers, who are dedicated to curing this deadly illness," DuCharme said in a news release. "In connection with [Tuesday's] sentence, which provides punishment for his offense, the defendant also will be required to pay back every penny he diverted from the fight against cancer."

In 2013 and 2017, respectively, Girnun formed two sham companies: Atlas Metabolomics, LLC (Atlas) and Empyrean Biosciences, LLC (Empyrean), authorities said. These companies supposedly provided research items and equipment for Girnun's cancer research
projects.

Between December 2013 and September 2019, Girnun submitted fraudulent electronic invoices to Stony Brook University for payment to the sham companies for equipment, goods and services that were never received or provided. Stony Brook University then used NIH and the university’s grant and foundation funds to pay the sham companies over $200,000.

Girnun withdrew the fraudulently obtained grant funds from Atlas and Empyrean’s bank accounts and used the money for personal expenses, including payments toward the mortgage on his home and tuition for his children.

Between December 2013 and December 2017, Girnun stole around $78,000 in NIH funds meant for cancer research, as well as roughly $147,000 from the Stony Brook Foundation and state-sponsored grants, officials said.

"Stealing cancer research funds solely to line your own pockets is an outrageous crime," Lampert said. "[The] sentence demonstrates that society will not tolerate fraudsters like Dr. Girnun,
who will pay for his greed-fueled scheme. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate such fraud and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Girnun has a doctorate degree in cancer biology. While working at the university, he served as a principal investigator for various research projects. He studied the links between metabolic disease and cancer, according to his staff page on the university's website, which has since been taken down.

Girnun earned more than $168,000 in 2018, according to See Through NY.