Harvard University has agreed to a settlement of $53 million related to illegal activities by its former morgue manager. This comes after a court’s approval on Tuesday. The manager, Cedric Lodge, had stolen and sold body parts intended for scientific research. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in December following a guilty plea for trafficking remains.

Lodge, along with his wife, took the parts from Harvard Medical School without authorization. Since 2018, they shipped these remains to various buyers across states. Harvard now plans to create two class action settlement funds totaling $53 million. This aims to provide support to affected families and the organ donation program while avoiding lengthy legal battles.

The settlement, co-signed by Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley and Dean for Medical Education Bernard Chang, prioritizes resolution and support for those impacted. They condemned Lodge’s actions, which betrayed the medical community’s values, and expressed deep regret for the affected donor families.

A judge initially approved the settlement, and fund distribution will take months. Denise Lodge, Cedric’s wife, received a one-year prison sentence. Six other conspirators, involved in purchasing remains from Lodge, also pled guilty and were sentenced.

Details showed that Cedric and Denise Lodge conspired with others, including Katrina MacLean and Joshua Taylor, to profit from these sales. Jeremy Pauley, another conspirator charged in August 2022, allegedly purchased body parts from MacLean, who also stored and sold them at a store in Salem, Massachusetts. The store promoted ‘creepy dolls, oddities, and bone art.’

In a related effort, Harvard Medical School will launch a scholarship in the academic year 2027-28, honoring anatomical donors. The settlement plan pledges a formal statement to families condemning such criminal acts and outlines improvements to the organ donation program.