IC IG releases statement on former LLNL scientist charged with fraud

On December 21, the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community released a statement about the former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Scientist charged with fraud relating to an Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity research program.

On Dec. 20, 2016, the Honorable Jeffrey White, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of California, sentenced Dr. S. Darin Kinion, a former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist, to 18 months in prison for submitting false data and reports with the purpose of defrauding the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) of $3.3 million intended for a quantum computing research program.

The investigation, conducted jointly by the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community (IC IG) and the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General (DOE OIG) produced evidence that Kinion knowingly, intentionally, and repeatedly reported false and fraudulent data and information claiming he used IARPA-purchased equipment successfully to build and test experimental components. As IARPA took deliberate steps to validate Kinion’s purported results, he acted further to conceal and to prevent IARPA from discovering his fraudulent scheme. For example, Kinion knowingly mailed non-functional “bogus” components to IARPA’s validation team; back-dated and altered Federal Express^® mailing labels to support his claims for IARPA funding; and conducted a three-day “charade” experiment during another scientist’s visit to LLNL.

In addition to the prison term, Judge White sentenced the defendant to three years of supervised release and to pay $3,317,893 in restitution to the United States. Kinion will begin serving the sentence Jan. 26, 2017.

Source: ODNI