Business Enters Plea in Grant Theft Case

Contact Person: DeWayne Pearson (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Brian Morin, age 47 of Greenville, SC, entered a guilty plea to theft of government funds in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 in connection with a grant administered to Morin’s former company, Innegrity LLC. According to facts presented during the guilty plea hearing, Morin was awarded a research grant from the National Science Foundation. As a grant condition, Morin was responsible for submitting grant reports certifying the hours that the company worked on grant related activities. An investigation revealed that the company’s internal records did not match the hours Morin certified to the National Science Foundation. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled, and Morin faces a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment and a fine of $5,000.

“The Small Business Innovation Research Program sets aside funds to support small companies that conduct innovative research.  This plea stresses the importance of maintaining and reporting accurate time and effort expended on Federal grants, and sends a strong message to those who provide false information to the Federal Government. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s office for its strong support in this case” said Allison Lerner, the National Science Foundation Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.