2. Beginning in or about 2000 1 the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilit awarded grant money to Denmark for
research involving infant disabilities, autism, genetic disorders,

and fetal alcohol syndrome. The CDC awarded the grant to fund
studies of the relationship between autism and the exposure to
vaccines, the relationship between cerebral palsy and infection
during pregnancy, and the relationship between developmental
outcomes and fetal alcohol exposure.

3. Defendant THORSEN worked as a vi ting scientist at the
CDC, Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, when
the CDC was soliciting the grant applications. Defendant THORSEN
promoted the idea of awarding the grant to Denmark for studies
related to infant disabilities. Defendant THORSEN scheduled
meetings with the Danish Medical Research Council, Aarhus
University, and Odense University Hospital about the proposed
Danish research. In addition to initiating the meetings, defendant
THORSEN provided guidance and ideas for the grant that the CDC
ultimately awarded to Denmark.
4. The CDC initially awarded the grant to the Danish Medical
Research Council and then, beginning in or about 2007, to the
Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (DASTI), both
of which were governmental agencies in Denmark. From 2000 through
2009, the CDC awarded over $7 million to the Danish Medical
Research Council and over $4 million to DASTI, totaling over $11
million, for the Danish research studies.
5. Aarhus University and Odense University Hospital
administered the CDC grant under the direction of a principal

investigator, who was assigned scientific and administrative

oversight.

6. In 2002, after CDC awarded the grant, defendant THORSEN
went to Denmark and became the principal investigator, responsible
for administering the research money awarded by the CDC to Denmark.
Defendant THORSEN also held a faculty position at Aarhus
University, where scientists performed research under the grant.
In those positions, he submitted invoices for payment to Aarhus
University and Odense University Hospital for work and expenses
related to the CDC grant.
7. In or about May 2007 and March 2008, defendant THORSEN
submitted fraudulent letters to DASTI, purportedly signed by grant
management officers at the CDC, that falsely stated that the CDC
had awarded grant money, and that certain funds were available, to
DASTI under the grant. Defendant THORSEN forged the CDC employees'
signatures on the letters. Based on the misrepresentations in
these letters, DASTI released funds for work and expenses that
defendant THORSEN claimed were associated with the CDC grant.
8. From or about February 2004 through in or about June
2008, defendant THORSEN submitted over a dozen fraudulent invoices,
purportedly signed by a laboratory section chief at the CDC's
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities,
for reimbursement of expenses that defendant THORSEN claimed were
incurred in connection with the CDC grant. The invoices falsely

claimed that a CDC laboratory had performed work under the grant

for which Aarhus University owed money. Based on the
misrepresentations in these invoices! Aarhus University wire
transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to accounts held at
the CDC Federal Credit Union in Atlanta! Georgia. Aarhus
University believed that the accounts! which were identified in the
fraudulent invoices! belonged to the CDC.

9. In truth! the CDC Federal Credit Union accounts were
personal accounts held by defendant THORSEN. He used the accounts
to steal money under the CDC grant.
10. After the money was transferred to defendant THORSEN!s
accounts! he moved the money among multiple CDC Federal Credit
Union accounts and eventually withdrew it for his own personal use.
Defendant THORSEN purchased a home in Atlanta! a Harley Davidson
motorcycle! and Audi and Honda vehicles with the proceeds of his
fraud. He also obtained numerous cashier! s checks made out to
himself from the fraudulent proceeds deposited at the CDC Federal
Credit Union.
11. Defendant THORSEN obtained over $1 million from his
scheme to defraud.
12. On or about the dates set forth below! in the Northern
District of Georgia and elsewhere! the defendant! POUL THORSEN!
aided and abetted by others known and unknown to the Grand Jury!
and for the purpose of executing the aforementioned scheme and

artifice to defraud, transmitted and caused to be transmitted by
means of wire communication in interstate and foreign commerce,
writings, signs, signals, and sounds, that is, wire transfers ln
the following amounts from accounts held by Aarhus University in
Denmark to accounts held by defendant THORSEN at the CDC Federal
Credit Union Atlanta, Georgia:

COUNT DATE AMOUNT
1 12/4/2006 $24,708.00
2 1/16/2007 $43,406.00
3 2/22/2007 $30,409.00
4 3/15/2007 $56,506.00
5 3/22/2007 $17,520.00
6 6/18/2007 $121,961.00
7 1/16/2008 $47,171.76
8 4/1/2008 $47,219.00
9 5/2/2008 $65/928.00
10 6/26/2008 $23/602.00
11 6/26/2008 $23,602.00
12 10/29/2008 $23/602.00
13 10/29/2008 $23,602.00

All in violation of Title 18/ United States Code, Sections
1343 and 2.

COUNTS FOURTEEN THROUGH TWENTY-TWO
(Money Laundering)

13. The Grand Jury re-alleges and incorporates by reference
paragraphs 1 through 11 of this Indictment as if fully set forth

herein.

14. On or about the dates set forth below1 in the Northern
District of Georgia and elsewherethe defendant POUL THORSEN 1

1

l

aided and abetted by others known and unknown to the Grand Jury1
knowingly engaged in and attempted to engage in the monetary
transactions below in criminally derived property of a
value greater than $10 1 000, consisting of the deposit, withdrawal,
transfer, and

in and affecting interstate and foreign
commerce, of funds and monetary instruments by, through, and to a
financial institution, such property having been derived from
specified unlawful activity, that is, a scheme to defraud in
violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2:

COUNT DATE TRANSACTION AMOUNT PAYEE
14 5/30/2006 Withdrawal by
personal check from
CDC Federal Credit
Union (FCU) account
no. ending 3353
$33,994.57 Stone
Mountain
Harley
Davidson
15 7/27/2006 Withdrawal by
cashier's check from
CDC FCU account no.
ending 0698
$52 1 892.25 THORSEN
16 12/5/2006 Transfer from CDC
FCU account no.
ending 1335
$19,071.00 J.H.
(CDC FCU
account no.
ending 0698)
17 1/17/2007 Transfer from CDC
FCU account no.
ending 1335
$19,271.00 J.H.
(CDC FCU
account no.
ending 0698)

18 3/16/2007 Transfer from CDC
FCU account no.
ending 8562
$56,400.00 THORSEN
(CDC FCU
account no.
ending 1335)
19 6/26/2007 Withdrawal by
cashierls check from
CDC FCU account no.
ending 0698
$17,338.00 THORSEN
! 20 5/5/2008 Transfer from CDC
FCU account no.
ending 1335
$21,746.56 THORSEN
(CDC FCU
account no.
ending 2920)
21 6/30/2008 Withdrawal by
cashier's check from
CDC FCU account no.
ending 0698
$11,041.00 THORSEN
22 10/29/2008 Transfer from CDC
FCU account no.
ending 8562
$47 / 200.00 THORSEN
(CDC FCU
account no.
ending 1335)

All violation of Title 18 1 United States Code I Sections
1957 and 2.
FORFEITURE PROVISION

15. Upon conviction of one or more of the wire fraud offenses

I

alleged in Counts 1 through 13 of this Indictment in violation of
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, the defendant, POUL
THORSEN, shall forfeit to the United Statesl pursuant to Title 18,
United States Code l Sections 981 (a) (1) (C), 1956 (c) (7), and 1961 (1) ,
and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c), any property,
real or personal, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds
traceable to such offenses, including but not limited to the
following:

(A) MONEY JUDGMENT
A sum of money equal to the amount of proceeds the
defendant obtained as a result of the offenses.

(B) REAL PROPERTY

(1) 2657 Briarlake Road, Atlanta, DeKalb County,
Georgia 30345, and all buildings and appurtenances
thereon, more particularly described as follows:

All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in
Land Lot 206 of the 18th District, DeKalb County,
Georgia, and being Lot 31, The Woods of Briarlake
as per plat recorded in Plat Book 90, Page 72,
DeKalb County, Georgia records, which plat is
incorporated herein and made a part hereof by
reference.

(C) CONVEYANCES

(1) 2008 Honda CR-V EX-L, VIN 5J6RE48728L040280.
(2) 2004 Audi S4 Avant Quattro, VIN WAUXL68E84A145888.
(3) 2006 FLSTFSE2 Harley Davidson motorcycle,
VIN 1HD1PNF146Y955597.

16. Upon conviction of one or more of the money laundering
offenses alleged in Counts 14 through 22 of this Indictment, in
violation of Tit 18, United States Code, Section 1957, defendant
THORSEN shall forfeit to the united States, pursuant to Title 18,
United States Code, Section 982(a) (1) I any and all property, real
or personal involved in such offenses and all property traceable

I

to such offenses, including but not limited to the following:

(A) MONEY JUDGMENT

A sum of money equal to the total value of property
involved in each offense for which defendant THORSEN is
liable.

(B) REAL PROPERTY

(1) 2657 Briarlake Road, Atlanta, DeKalb County,
Georgia 30345, and all buildings and appurtenances
thereon, more particularly described as follows:

All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in

Land Lot 206 of the 18th District, DeKalb County,

Georgia, and being Lot 31, The Woods of Briarlake

as per plat recorded in Plat Book 90, Page 72,

DeKalb County, Georgia records, which plat is

incorporated herein and made a part hereof by

reference.

(C) CONVEYANCES

(1) 2008 Honda CR-V EX-L, VIN 5J6RE48728L040280.
(2) 2004 Audi S4 Avant Quattro, VIN WAUXL68E84A145888.
(3) 2006 FLSTFSE2 Harley Davidson motorcycle,
VIN 1HD1PNF146Y955597.

17. If, as a result of any act or omission of defendant
THORSEN, any property subject to forfeiture:

(a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence;
(b) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a
third person;

(c) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the Court;
(d) has been substantially diminished in value; or
(e) has been commingled with other property which cannot be

subdivided without difficulty;
the United States intends, pursuant to Title 21, United States
Code, Section 853(p), as incorporated by Title 18, United States
Code, Section 982(b) and/or Title 28, United States Code, Section

2461 (c), to seek forfeiture of any other property of defendant
THORSEN, up to the value of the above forfeitable property.

A __________~~~-=~_________ BILL

FOREPERSON

SALLY QUILLIAN YATES
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

-¥!lA'£

STEPHEN H. McCLAIN
ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
600 U.S. Courthouse
75 Spring Street, S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/581-6288
Georgia Bar No. 143186