Ohio State University has agreed to pay $2.1 million to settle federal allegations that it failed to disclose researchers' ties to China while applying for and receiving taxpayer-funded research grants. The Justice Department claimed the university did not properly reveal affiliations and financial support linked to Chinese universities and state-run research bodies in applications and reports submitted to NASA and the National Science Foundation between 2012 and 2023, a lapse officials say undermines research security and transparency requirements attached to federal funding.

The case centred on researcher C.K. Shum, who was found to have participated in China's Thousand Talents Program, a Beijing-backed scheme to recruit overseas expertise; Ohio State says it uncovered and self-reported his affiliations, suspended his research privileges, halted spending on affected grants and repaid the funds, and he no longer works at the university. The Justice Department noted Ohio State became aware of Shum's programme involvement in 2019 but did not inform NASA and the NSF until 2023, and said other university employees connected to the grants also had undisclosed relationships with, or funding from, Chinese entities. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said universities receiving federal research support must fully disclose foreign funding, warning the department would continue holding institutions accountable for disclosure failures.