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· collected 2026-09-04 · by Rachel del Guidice
Ohio State University has agreed to pay $2.1 million to settle allegations that it failed to disclose researchers' ties to China while seeking taxpayer-funded research grants from 2012 to 2023. The university admitted that a researcher, C.K. Shum, had "inappropriate foreign affiliations" and self-reported them to federal authorities after the university investigated. According to the Justice Department, Ohio State failed to properly disclose affiliations with Chinese universities and state-run research organizations in grant applications and reports submitted to NASA and the National Science Foundation. The settlement resolves allegations that the university waited until 2023 to inform NASA and the NSF about a researcher's involvement in China's Thousand Talents Program, which is described by the federal government as a Beijing-backed effort to attract people with overseas technology expertise.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Ohio State University has agreed to pay $2.1 million to settle allegations that it failed to disclose its researchers' ties to China when seeking and receiving taxpayer-funded research grants. The university admitted that one of its former researchers, C.K. Shum, had inappropriate foreign affiliations, including participation in China's Thousand Talents Program. The Justice Department alleged that Ohio State did not properly disclose these affiliations from 2012 to 2023 in applications and reports submitted to NASA and the National Science Foundation. As part of the settlement, Ohio State reported Shum's affiliations to federal authorities itself, after initially uncovering them through its own investigation. This incident has raised concerns about research security and federally-funded scientific achievements.
Written for “Ohio State University scandal” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The Ohio State University acknowledged that a former researcher had "inappropriate foreign affiliations" after agreeing to pay $2.1 million to resolve federal allegations that the university failed to share researchers’ ties to China while seeking and receiving taxpayer-funded research grants.
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university → acknowledge → grants
The Justice Department alleged Ohio State failed to properly disclose affiliations and financial support involving Chinese universities and state-run research organizations in applications and reports submitted to NASA and the National Science Foundation from 2012 to 2023.
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State → allege → 2023
The allegations included a principal investigator’s participation in China’s Thousand Talents Program.
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allegations → include → Program
Ohio State told Fox News Digital in a statement Friday that the university ultimately uncovered and investigated C.K. Shum’s foreign affiliations itself and reported them to federal authorities.
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university → tell → authorities
Shum is no longer employed at the university.
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Shum → employ → university
"Ohio State uncovered and investigated C.K. Shum’s inappropriate foreign affiliations and self-reported them to NASA and the National Science Foundation," Benjamin Johnson, chief communications officer at The Ohio State University, told Fox News Digital in a statement Friday.
"
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Johnson → uncover → statement
The university suspended Shum’s principal investigator privileges, halted spending on the relevant federal awards, initiated disciplinary proceedings and repaid the federal grant funds in question.
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university → suspend → question
Shum is no longer employed at Ohio State, and the university has cooperated with federal authorities throughout the investigation.
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university → employ → investigation
"Ohio State takes national security seriously, and the university has long been recognized for its efforts to promote research integrity and security.
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university → take → integrity
Safeguards include dedicated research compliance and secure research offices, mandatory conflict-of-interest and research security disclosure systems and robust security and foreign influence training programs."
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Safeguards → include → compliance
In a press release, the Department of Justice said the grant applications required OSU to share any ties to any foreign government.
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applications → say → government
"The settlement resolves allegations that OSU failed to disclose the collaboration and affiliation with, or funding received from, the PRC by certain OSU employees working on NASA and NSF grants," the press release said.
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release → resolve → grants
"Specifically, the settlement resolves allegations that, since 2014, annual Faculty Activity Reports submitted to OSU identified affiliations with PRC universities and state-run research organizations, but OSU did not disclose this information to NASA or NSF."
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OSU → resolve → NASA
The press release also noted that Ohio State became aware in 2019 that a researcher tied to NASA-funded work was involved in China’s Thousand Talents Program but waited until 2023 to inform NASA and the National Science Foundation.
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researcher → note → NASA
The federal government describes the program as a Beijing-backed effort to attract people with expertise in or access to overseas technology and intellectual property.
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government → describe → technology
The DOJ also said it found other OSU employees connected to the grants who had relationships with Chinese entities or received Chinese funding.
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who → say → funding
"American universities that benefit from the federal government’s support for scientific research and advancement must fully disclose all foreign funding in their grant applications," Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's Civil Division, said in a statement.
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Shumate → benefit → statement
"We will continue to hold accountable any university that fails to comply with disclosure requirements designed to protect research security and federally-funded scientific achievements.
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that → continue → security
Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment.
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Digital → reach → comment
