Harvard University has agreed to pay $53 million to settle lawsuits brought by families who alleged the university mishandled the remains of loved ones donated to Harvard Medical School. The agreement, which received preliminary court approval on Tuesday, follows a federal investigation into the theft and sale of body parts from the school’s morgue. The university stated it will seek to establish two class action settlement funds to resolve the litigation.
The settlement stems from the actions of Cedric Lodge, the former manager of the Harvard Medical School morgue, who was fired in 2023. Investigators found that since 2018, Lodge and his wife took body parts from the school without the permission of the university or the donors' families and shipped them to buyers across several states. Lodge pleaded guilty to trafficking stolen remains and was sentenced to eight years in prison in December.
Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley and Dean for Medical Education Bernard Chang co-signed a letter on Monday expressing empathy for the families and stating the school is prioritizing support for those impacted. The administrators described Lodge’s actions as a betrayal of the medical community's values. Six other individuals involved in the trafficking ring, including those who purchased the remains for resale or use in "bone art," have also pleaded guilty and received sentences.
For the affected families, this agreement marks a move toward resolving legal disputes that arose after the discovery that donated remains were treated as commercial goods rather than research subjects. Beyond the direct payments, families will receive a formal statement from the school condemning the criminal acts. The school also committed to detailing specific security and oversight improvements made to its organ donation program to prevent future unauthorized removals of human remains.
The university also announced that it will establish an annual financial aid scholarship beginning in the 2027-28 academic year to honor anatomical donors. Following the preliminary approval granted on Tuesday, the court must still grant final approval to the settlement terms before the funds are released. The university has not provided a specific deadline for families to join the class action, but indicated the administrative process will continue through the coming months.