FBI hits nuclear power institute at Univ. of Fla.
GAINESVILLE (AP) – Federal investigators are alleging that a University of Florida professor and three other members of his family fraudulently received millions of dollars from NASA and then allegedly funneled money to their personal bank accounts, court documents show.
FBI agents raided the office of the university’s Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute, which was founded by professor Samim Anghaie, an Iranian-born director of the institute and a professor of radiological engineering.
According to court documents, Anghaie and his family members set up a company called New Era Technology, which was known as NETECH. His wife, Sousan Anghaie, was the president of the company.
Court documents allege that NETECH submitted fraudulent proposals to NASA for proposed research contracts. As a result, NETECH received several NASA contracts. NETCH is also accused of submitting fraudulent invoices to NASA which represented hours worked by alleged employees.
Investigators allege that Anghaie and his wife diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegally obtained government funds from their corporate bank account to their personal accounts.
The government alleges that some of the money was diverted to their sons, Ali Anghaie and Hamid Anghaie.
Court documents allege that since 1999, NETECH was awarded 13 contracts from the government and NETECH’s bank records show that from 2000, NASA, the Air Force and the Department of Energy deposited nearly $3.4 million into the corporate account.
The documents allege the money was used to pay for cars and real estate.
The federal government filed the documents as part of a motion seeking to seize six cars, six pieces of real estate in Ft. Lauderdale, Gainesville, Manchester, Conn. and Tampa, and several bank accounts.
Steve Orlando, a spokesman for the University of Florida, said Samin Anghaie has been placed on leave with pay.
There was no answer at the Anghaie’s home telephone number and a recording said his office telephone number had been temporarily disconnected. Anghaie and his family have not been arrested or charged and it is not known if they have an attorney.
According to Anghaie’s personnel file, he joined UF’s faculty in October 1980, with some breaks in employment. He has no record of disciplinary action.
Anghaie founded the institute in 1985 to conduct “fundamental and applied research in areas related to application of nuclear power in space,” according to its Web site.