A NASA scientist has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for making false statements to the FBI and NASA.
Meyya Meyyappan, 66, of Pacifica, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel on January 13, 2021.
Meyyappan, a senior National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist, was found guilty of making false statements to the FBI, NASA’s Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Meyyappan participated in China’s Thousand Talents Program, a program established by the Chinese government to recruit individuals with access to or knowledge of foreign technology or intellectual property.
Meyyappan failed to disclose his associations and positions to NASA and the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, despite being subject to certain statutory, regulatory, and agency restrictions and reporting requirements.
On October 27, 2020, Meyyappan was interviewed by the FBI, NASA OIG, and the USAO, in New York, New York, where he made false statements regarding his participation in the Thousand Talents Program and his professorship at a Chinese university.
Meyyappan was also ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss praised the outstanding work of the FBI and NASA OIG in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, with Assistant United States Attorney Joshua A. Naftalis in charge of the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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