Harvard University has agreed to pay $53 million to settle lawsuits filed by families whose loved ones’ body parts were sold on the black market by its morgue manager. The settlement resolves claims of negligence that alleged the university ignored years of misconduct.
A Boston state court judge preliminarily approved the class‑action settlement on Aug. 18, eight months after former morgue manager Cedric Lodge was jailed. The judge found the plaintiffs could demonstrate that Harvard failed to act in good faith.
Dozens of relatives sued, accusing Harvard of negligence for allowing Lodge’s years‑long abuse to go unchecked until his 2023 indictment. They argued the school turned a blind eye to the theft of human remains.
Lodge, 58, pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2025, to interstate transportation of stolen goods and received an eight‑year prison term. He admitted to stealing brains, skin, bones and other parts from donated cadavers.
Morgue Manager Stole Brains, Skin, Bones
Prosecutors said Lodge trafficked heads, brains, skin, bones and other remains between 2018 and March 2020 after the bodies had been used for teaching. The stolen parts were sold to buyers nationwide.
His wife, Denise Lodge, 65, received a 12‑month and one‑day prison sentence. She was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Cedric Lodge, who served nearly three decades in Harvard’s morgue, smuggled the parts from Boston to his home in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife sold them. Authorities say the scheme generated substantial profit.
A judge initially dismissed the class‑action suit, but the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reversed that decision in October 2025, ruling the plaintiffs had plausible claims that Harvard acted without good faith. The court emphasized the prolonged, undignified treatment of donors.
Justice Scott Kafker said the remains were “ghoulishly dismembered and sold for profit,” a “horrific and undignified treatment” that persisted for years. He noted the violation undermined the dignity owed to donors.
‘Flagrant Betrayal of Our Values’
Harvard’s dean of the faculty of medicine, Dr. George Daley, and the dean of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Bernard Chang, said Lodge’s actions were “despicable, abhorrent, and a flagrant betrayal of our values,” according to an Aug. 17 message to the medical community. They expressed deep sorrow and empathy to the donors’ families.
Daley and Chang pledged a live webinar to confirm that Lodge’s criminal acts were morally reprehensible and inconsistent with Harvard Medical School standards. The webinar will also provide a formal statement to families.
John Morgan, attorney for the families through Morgan & Morgan, said the settlement aims to prevent future tragedies. He hopes it ensures this never happens to another family.
The indictment showed the parts were sold to Katrina MacLean, who operated Kat’s Creepy Creations in Peabody, Massachusetts, with payments often routed to Denise Lodge’s PayPal account. MacLean was sentenced on Aug. 18 to 24 months in prison.
Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania imposed the sentence for interstate transportation of stolen property. The ruling underscores the legal consequences of trafficking human remains.
Bill Pan and Reuters contributed to this report. The report credits collaborative journalism.
