Cedric Lodge admits to stealing and selling donated body parts from Harvard’s medical cadavers.

Guilty Plea in Gruesome Body Parts Trafficking Case

A former manager of the Harvard Medical School morgue pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal charges tied to an illegal scheme involving stolen human remains. Cedric Lodge, 57, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, entered his plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann in Pennsylvania. The charges relate to the theft and sale of body parts donated for scientific research and education.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Lodge admitted to transporting stolen human remains across state lines. His crimes took place between 2018 and March 2020, during which time he removed organs, brains, skin, hands, dissected heads, and even faces from cadavers donated to Harvard’s Anatomical Gift Program. These body parts were taken after their educational use but before scheduled disposal, violating donor agreements and institutional policy.

Lodge transported the remains to his New Hampshire residence without notifying Harvard or the families of the deceased. With his wife, Denise Lodge, he arranged for the sale of these remains to buyers in multiple states, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. The body parts were either shipped to purchasers or collected in person and moved across state lines.

Institutional Response and Legal Repercussions

Harvard Medical School strongly condemned Lodge’s actions. “Cedric Lodge’s criminal actions were morally reprehensible and a disgraceful betrayal of the individuals who altruistically chose to will their bodies to Harvard Medical School’s Anatomical Gift Program to advance medical education and research,” stated Dean George Daley. He acknowledged Lodge’s guilty plea but emphasized the lasting pain inflicted on donors’ families.

Under federal law, Lodge faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, supervised release, and a fine. The sentence will be determined based on federal sentencing guidelines and statutory considerations.

The case forms part of a broader investigation involving multiple defendants. Several co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty and received prison sentences of approximately one year. Others, including Denise Lodge and Joshua Taylor, are still awaiting sentencing.

The investigation is being handled by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Harvard University has not issued a detailed public statement beyond its initial condemnation and expressions of support for affected families.

Lodge’s admission marks a significant development in a scandal that has raised serious ethical and legal questions about oversight in anatomical donation programs. The case has cast a long shadow over one of the nation’s most prestigious medical institutions, prompting renewed scrutiny of how human remains are managed post-donation.