Harvard Medical School Settles Lawsuits for $53 Million Over Stolen Body Parts Scandal
Harvard Medical School has agreed to a $53 million settlement to resolve class-action lawsuits filed by relatives of body donors whose remains were stolen and sold by former morgue manager Cedric Lodge. The settlement, which awaits court approval, will establish two funds for the 47 relatives involved in the lawsuits. Cedric Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison last year for his role in a scheme where he stole and sold body parts, including brains, skin, hands, and faces, to buyers in Pennsylvania and other locations. His wife, Denise Lodge, received a sentence of just over a year for her involvement, and six other individuals who purchased remains from Cedric Lodge have also pleaded guilty and been sentenced. The school stated that Lodge acted without its knowledge or permission and that it cannot precisely identify all affected donors. The settlement covers relatives of individuals who donated their remains to Harvard Medical School between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023. 
