Brain scientist sentenced for fraud

A controversial brain scientist from Copenhagen University has been handed a suspended three-month sentence for fraud, forgery and false accusations. News of the December ruling was released last Monday after a ban on naming Milenan Penkowa was lifted following a withdrawal of her appeal against the guilty verdict.

False receipts worth DKK 27,000 (EUR 3,620) were produced, with the proceeds paid into Penkowa’s account. The scientist, who has since been suspended and later resigned from Copenhagen University, blamed the error on one of her students.

Defence lawyers cancelled their appeal, claiming Penkowa would not receive a fair hearing at the country’s High Court due to the publicity surrounding her case.

She also claimed she had been framed by a competitor who worked as the chair of the Society for Neuroscience. “We applied for the same positions and funding. It would be easier for one of us if the other was not there,” Penkowa said in court, according to Politiken.

Since the ruling, Copenhagen University has also issued a complaint with police in connection to Penwowa’s thesis, which they claim contains irregularities in rat experiments.