Harvard University has agreed to pay $53 million to settle class-action lawsuits filed by families whose loved ones’ donated remains were stolen and sold on the black market. The settlement follows the high-profile indictment and conviction of former Harvard Medical School morgue manager Cedric Lodge, who operated a nationwide trafficking scheme for years without the university’s knowledge.
The Harvard University morgue manager body parts settlement $53 million addresses years of horrific misconduct. Between 2018 and 2023, Lodge stole organs, skin, brains, and dissected heads from cadavers entrusted to the Anatomical Gift Program. He and his wife shipped these remains across state lines to buyers who resold them or used them for grotesque purposes, including tanning skin into leather. Lodge was sentenced to eight years in federal prison in late 2025.
“Lodge’s violations were despicable, abhorrent, and a flagrant betrayal of our values as a medical community.” Deans George Q. Daley & Bernard S. Chang
In addition to establishing two class-action settlement funds totaling $53 million, Harvard Medical School will hold a live webinar statement condemning Lodge’s actions and outlining security overhauls. The institution also announced plans to create an annual financial aid scholarship to honor future anatomical donors starting in the 2027–2028 academic year.
