Donatus E. Asumu, Wire Fraud, Florida 2023

Longwood Scientist Donatus E. Asumu (52) was found guilty of committing wire fraud against the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in a case that has left many in the scientific community stunned.

According to the plea agreement, between 2009 and continuing through 2012, Asumu, as president and owner of Aligned Concepts, LLC (‘ACL’), fraudulently obtained two Small Business Innovation Research (‘SBIR’) contracts from NASA valued at $199,825. He obtained the contracts by, among other things, (i) falsely representing to NASA that certain individuals would work certain hours on the contracts, when in fact those individuals did not work or perform any tasks on the contracts; (ii) falsely representing to NASA that he was not employed full-time by another organization, when in fact he was; (iii) falsely representing to NASA that ACL was a legitimate Small Business Concern (SBC); and (iv) falsely submitting invoices to NASA for work that was certified as complete per contract terms, when in fact ACL did not perform the work per those terms.

The case was investigated by NASA, Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.

On [no exact date provided], U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp ordered Donatus E. Asumu to pay $199,825 in restitution to NASA for wire fraud committed against the agency. The Court also ordered him to forfeit a Nissan automobile, a traceable proceed of the offense. In addition, Asumu was sentenced to serve one year of probation, including 45 weekends at the Brevard County Work Camp, and six months of home confinement.

During the sentencing hearing, the Court made a finding that Asumu, who was represented by the Federal Public Defender, was not indigent and must pay back attorney’s fees pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.

Asumu’s crimes were committed while he was president and owner of Aligned Concepts, LLC, a company he claimed was a legitimate Small Business Concern (SBC). However, the investigation revealed that Asumu was not truthful with NASA about his employment status and the work being performed on the contracts.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in the scientific community. It is essential that researchers and scientists are truthful and honest in their dealings with government agencies and the public.

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