NAS scammer will serve at least three years

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The National Academy of Sciences is the world's preeminent scientific organization with nearly 200 Nobel prize winners, but for years print shop manager Aubrey Scott outsmarted the whole bunch.

Scott, working at the academy's graphics department in Washington in 2000, created invoices under $2,500 each to pay a shell company he founded. But by the time auditors caught on, six years had passed, $1.2 million was missing and Scott was driving a BMW.

The scam was outlined in federal court in the District yesterday as Scott received more than three years in prison. "I was a very bitter person ... a very depressed person," the 47-year-old Germantown man told a judge.

The losses have prompted questions concerning the finances at the prestigious academy, which prides itself as the leading scientific adviser to Congress and the White House.

"Mr. Scott's breach of trust has required the institution to take measures to repair the damage to the institution's image, credibility and reputation," James F. Hinchman, general counsel for the academy, wrote in a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

"The theft has also threatened to damage the NAS's reputation with many supporters and contributors," he wrote.

"For example, we have received a number of inquiries from foundations requesting an explanation of the impact of Mr. Scott's fraud on NAS's financial condition."

It's unclear how the scam went undetected for so long. A spokesman for the academy said "it involved many small billings by a trusted employee."

"Although we conducted a thorough audit, we're still reviewing our internal procedures to make sure it doesn't happen again," said academy spokesman Bill Kearny.

The academy's internal probe cost about a quarter-million dollars, according to court papers.