Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Harvard University and Dr. Lee Nadler Unsealed: Allegations of NIH Grants Fraud and Mismanagement
Dr. Zielinski is represented by Kandis L. Kovalsky and Edward T. Kang, Ross M. Wolfe, Walter Bourdaghs, Kang Haggerty LLC, Philadelphia, PA; and David W.S. Lieberman and Erica Blachman Hitchings, Whistleblower Law Collaborative, Boston, MA
BOSTON, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A federal whistleblower lawsuit filed by Dr. David Searles Zielinski against Harvard University and Dr. Lee Nadler has been unsealed, exposing serious allegations of fraud and mismanagement and misuse of federal research funds awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The total amount of the grants at issue is $275 million. The complaint, brought under the False Claims Act, accuses Harvard and Dr. Nadler of submitting fraudulent grant applications and failing to comply with federal grant regulations and internal controls in their administration of NIH-funded research.
Dr. Zielinski, a former executive director of Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center and associate dean for clinical and translational research at Harvard Medical School, alleges that Harvard knowingly submitted—or caused the submission of—false claims for reimbursement. Despite internal warnings, the institution allegedly failed to take corrective action. The case raises critical questions about federally funded research and its oversight and accountability at one of the nation's most prominent academic institutions.
Prior to his tenure at Harvard, Dr. Zielinski spent nearly a decade working at the NIH, where he led offices focused on science policy and strategic planning.
"Dr. Zielinski spent eight years working for NIH before his tenure at Harvard. He remains committed to ensuring that universities, like Harvard, use NIH grant awards only for proper purposes," said attorney Kandis Kovalsky. "He is courageous enough to undergo the public scrutiny associated with a qui tam lawsuit against a university like Harvard to make sure that the legally-binding rules of NIH grant awards are followed and that taxpayers' dollars be repaid when the rules have been broken."
The lawsuit was filed in March 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and remained under seal during a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. With the case now public, and assigned to the Honorable Myong J. Joun, further legal proceedings are anticipated.
Key Case Information:
- Case Title: United States ex rel. David Zielinski v. President and Fellows of Harvard College
- Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- Allegations: Misuse of NIH grant funds; failure to comply with federal grant management rules; submission of false claims
- Legal Basis: Federal False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733)
- Legal Representation:
- Kandis L. Kovalsky and Edward T. Kang, Ross M. Wolfe, Walter Bourdaghs, Kang Haggerty LLC, Philadelphia, PA
- David W.S. Lieberman and Erica Blachman Hitchings, Whistleblower Law Collaborative, Boston, MA
Media Contact:
Kandis L. Kovalsky
Phone: 215.525.1993
Email: [email protected]
Complaint – Available upon request
Pacer Monitor
SOURCE Kang Haggerty LLC
Share this article