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University of Kansas researcher charged with theft

University of Kansas
Posted at 3:52 PM, Dec 09, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-09 16:52:02-05

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Authorities allege a University of Kansas researcher received illegal discounts and avoided paying sales taxes for nearly two years.

The Kansas Attorney General's Office said in a news release Monday that 37-year-old Liuqi Gu, of Lawrence, has been charged with four felonies and two misdemeanors.

Gu is a postdoctoral researcher with the university's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Prosecutors allege that between November 2016 and October 2018, Gu claimed purchases he made from Thermo-Fisher Scientific were for the university so he could receive discounts. They also allege Gu used confidential information he received from the university to avoid paying thousands of dollars in sales taxes.

Gu was charged Thursday with two counts of theft, unlawful acts concerning computers, and making false information, and two misdemeanors. He is being held on $100,000 bond.