A former top official at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the historically black university of operating as a criminal enterprise to divert funds. The suit, one of four similar cases in recent months, alleges embezzlement, academic fraud, and retaliation against whistleblowers. Claims highlight low graduation rates and misuse of federal grants amid declining enrollment.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), a historically black university, faces multiple federal lawsuits alleging systemic corruption under President Heidi Anderson and Provost Rondall Allen. The first suit, filed on July 28, 2024, by Sandeep Gopalan, former vice president for research and vice provost for academic affairs, describes UMES as a "criminal enterprise to divert federal and state funds." Gopalan, a Rhodes scholar, claims he exposed a scheme where Anderson and Allen embezzled thousands of iPads purchased via a U.S. Department of Commerce grant intended for poor minorities, diverting them to cronies.
In June 2024, Gopalan sent whistleblower letters to federal agencies, the Maryland Attorney General's Office, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, citing evidence of stealthy storage, destruction of records, and fraudulent documentation. Retaliation followed: the university terminated his Futures Institute program and dismissed Ph.D. students funded by a $4.6 million U.S. Department of Education grant that Gopalan secured. The suit states the university falsely blamed the Trump administration for funding cuts, halting research on cancer, environmental pollution, and AI. The Department of Education intervened, ordering restoration of the grant.
Gopalan's December 2024 complaints to Chancellor Jay Perman detailed further issues, including diversion of funds and fraudulent student data reporting. The suit notes UMES's poor outcomes under Anderson and Allen—both pharmacists—with a 17% four-year graduation rate, 35% six-year rate, and graduates' median incomes comparable to high school graduates. It accuses Allen of plagiarizing Gopalan's work and seeks clawback of salaries: Perman's $1.4 million, Anderson's $450,000, and Allen's $300,000.
Three other suits echo these patterns. On August 1, "Jacob Doe" alleged observing criminal siphoning of funds, leading to a fabricated sexual harassment claim by DEI director Jason Casares, resulting in suspension. Ciu Fang's August 22 suit claims retaliation for exposing grading fraud in computer science, where Chair Asad Azemi awarded passing grades despite plagiarism and absences to inflate enrollment. Enrollment fell from 4,800 in 2018 to 3,000, with pharmacy pass rates dropping from 95% to 57%.
Former HR Director Rosalie Hornbuckle filed a whistleblower complaint over fictitious jobs and prolonged paid leaves, including for a finance employee arrested with marijuana who received severance as the budget director's nephew. A prior suit by Donna Satterlee alleged racial salary disparities and retaliation via DEI accusations. Separately, a 2019 contract with Lance Andre Lucas for a Cyber Warrior Diversity Program followed his 2020 guilty plea for bribing a lawmaker $42,500 to enact related legislation.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown sought dismissal on October 31, citing sovereign immunity and technicalities without denying allegations. Spokesmen for Anderson and Perman declined comment due to ongoing litigation. Anderson personally hired a lawyer threatening The Daily Wire over plagiarism reports on her dissertation.