{
  "id": 1917814,
  "title": "Harvard to pay $53 million after morgue manager sold body parts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/harvard-to-pay-53-million-after-morgue-manager-sold-body-parts",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-19T10:58:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/harvard-morgue-manager-stolen-body-parts-settlement/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Harvard University has settled a case for $53 million following the theft and sale of body parts by its former morgue manager, Cedric Lodge. Lodge, who managed the morgue at Harvard Medical School before his termination in 2023, was sentenced to eight years in prison for trafficking stolen remains. The settlement, approved by a court on Tuesday, aims to support families affected by the incident and the ongoing organ donation program. Lodge's wife, Denise, was also sentenced to one year in prison, and six other individuals involved in the scheme have pleaded guilty and received sentences. The university plans to establish two class action settlement funds and distribute the funds over several months. Additionally, Harvard will set up an annual scholarship in honor of all anatomical donors and issue a statement condemning Lodge's criminal acts while detailing improvements to the organ donation program.",
  "summary": "Harvard University has agreed to pay $53 million to resolve lawsuits by families alleging it mishandled the bodies of loved ones donated to its medical school.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "KahawaTungu",
        "title": "Harvard agrees to pay millions after morgue manager sold body parts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/harvard-agrees-to-pay-millions-after-morgue-manager-sold-body-parts-1857956",
        "published": "2026-08-19T03:27:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Harvard to pay $53m after morgue manager sold body parts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/harvard-to-pay-53m-after-morgue-manager-sold-body-parts",
        "published": "2026-08-19T09:41:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}