Harvard Prof Scams Friends for $600K - Sends $ to Nigeria

[Papermache_Prince]

Hard to believe? According to Boston Police, Harvard Professor and former cancer researcher Weldong Xu conned his friends, co-workers, and students for $600,000 to fund SARS research in China. He actually invested the money in a Nigerian scam, no doubt thinking he’d make millions. Boston Globe

Police said Weldong Xu, 38, of Brookline, persuaded a total of 35 people since last July to give him money for the research company, which he told them was dedicated to tackling severe acute respiratory syndrome. . . At Dana-Farber (Cancer Institute), he persuaded co-workers to give him $160,000, with the agreement that the money would be returned within a few weeks, police said.

He anticipated getting a $50 million return on his “investment.”

“I tried to tell him he had been scammed,” said Detective Steve Blair, speaking at a press conference last night at Boston police headquarters. “His plan all along was this Nigerian investment.”

and Boston Herald

One friend took a second mortgage out on his home to give Xu the money. Xu was busted arguing with another man who had given him $5,000, police said.

reports.

[Shirley_Ujest]

:::::::*Paging Mr. Austin Wemba…Please Pick up the White courtesy Phone *:::::

[Lando_Griffin]

mmm… delicious irony…

[Uncommon_Sense]

So much for the old Harvard stigma…

[Governor_Quinn]

How did someone so dumb end up a Professor at Harvard?

[InTransit]

Obviously being book smart doesn’t mean you have common sense. Looks like greed got him.