Top Harvard chemist charged with lying about China ties 

Charles Lieber, head of Harvard’s chemistry department, was arrested yesterday on charges of attempting to conceal his ties to a Chinese government program that brings scientists to China. The charges were brought as part of the FBI’s larger crackdown on what it perceives as attempts by the Chinese government to steal ideas from American universities and medical centers. The complaint against Lieber alleges that he made false statements to the NIH about his involvement with China’s Thousand Talents program, a recruitment effort that offers payments and perks in exchange for foreign-trained scientists to work in China. Two other Boston-based scientists — a researcher at Boston University and a cancer researcher at Beth Israel Medical Deaconess Medical Center — were also separately charged yesterday. STAT's emailed requests for comment to Lieber, his attorney, and a government prosecutor were not immediately returned.