A former program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) pleaded guilty to engaging in a scheme to conceal gifts and fraudulent payments he received.
Dr. Shih Chi Liu, 73, of Silver Spring, Md., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James C. Cacheris in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Liu was charged with concealing payments and gifts he received in the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 by filing false reports. He also arranged for an accredited university to pay false invoices for services that the university did not receive, pocketing the fraudulently obtained money himself.
In addition, Liu concealed that he had received money for international travel from an accredited university, at times simultaneously requesting and receiving reimbursements from NSF for that same travel.
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Liu served in various program director positions in the NSF Engineering Directorate from 1981 until December 2011.
Liu faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on August 22, 2012.
This case was investigated by the NSF Office of the Inspector General. Deputy Chief Peter Koski and Trial Attorney Monique Abrishami of the Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmine Yoon are prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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