The FBI searched the office of UF professor Samim Anghaie for suspected fradulent grant propsals to NASA on Wednesday.
Investigators showed up at the office in the Nuclear Science Building just before 8 a.m. and left around 3:30 p.m., said UF spokesman Steve Orlando.
The search was part of an investigation being conducted by multiple federal agencies, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office news release.
A search warrant alleges there is cause to believe that Anghaie's company, New Era Technology (NETECH), intentionally overpaid Anghaie while underpaying other employees and creating illegitimate employees that were paid money through the grants.
"NETECH… diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegally obtained government funds from their corporate bank account to their personal bank accounts," it stated.
The warrant stated employees of the company used some of the money to buy land, a condominium and vehicles, including a 2007 BMW.
The company received about $2.5 million in grants from NASA since 2000, according to the warrant.
Anghaie is listed as the director/vice president of the company, according to the warrant.
His wife, Sousan, is listed as the president.
Their son Hamid is listed as the director. Their other son, Ali, is listed as an employee in some of the grants.
The warrant stated that there is cause to believe the four of them violated federal laws with offenses including theft of public money, mail or wire fraud and laundering of monetary instruments.
Orlando said to his knowledge, no other UF employees are being investigated.
Orlando said Anghaie, who makes a salary of $111,401.53 at UF, has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure when an employee is involved in an investigation of this nature.
Anghaie has worked at UF since October of 1980, Orlando said.
He said UF is cooperating with the investigation but referred further comment to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which did not return phone calls Wednesday.
Officials at NASA and the FBI could not be reached for comment.
