Poul Thorsen to plead guilty in CDC grant fraud case

Poul Thorsen, a 65-year-old Danish researcher, is expected to plead guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering. The charges stem from a 2011 indictment involving the theft of more than $1 million in grant money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Between 2000 and 2009, the CDC awarded over $11 million to agencies in Denmark for research into the links between vaccines, autism, cerebral palsy, and other developmental factors. Prosecutors allege that Thorsen submitted over a dozen fraudulent invoices containing forged signatures to divert funds into his personal bank accounts. These funds were reportedly used to purchase a home, two cars, and a motorcycle.

Thorsen had been an international fugitive for nearly 14 years after a warrant was issued in 2011. He was recently extradited from Europe to the United States and is currently held in federal custody in Georgia. His research was previously utilized in efforts to rebut claims regarding a link between vaccines and autism.