A 20-year employee at the National Institutes of Health headquarters in Bethesda, Md., has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing medical research equipment from the facility and selling it online, according to an NBC4 Washington report.
Chris Dame, a long-time employee of the NIH's Medical Arts Division, is accused of selling "a large quantity of medical research equipment and office supplies," according to the report, which cited court documents filed by an internal agency investigator. The investigator linked Mr. Dame to the eBay user name "phodan0." The user's page listed a number of items suspected of being taken from the NIH. The agency's police force reportedly found a cache of equipment in a storage closet linked to the eBay user name.
Among the items stolen were three electrophoresis machines, which deliver an electric charge to molecules for the purpose of molecular separation and analysis. Mr. Dame's attorney said his client "intends to accept responsibility for his actions," according to the report.
To see the full report, click here.
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