Northeastern University Employee Charged With Staging Bomb Threat

BOSTON, MA — The FBI said Tuesday it arrested and charged an employee in connection with an explosion at Northeastern University last month, reported WCVB.

Jason Duhaime, 45, of Texas, the former New Technology Manager and Director of the Immersive Media Lab at Northeastern University, was charged in the reported explosion on Sept. 13, officials said.

The explosion was reported around 7 p.m. and injured a 45-year-old university employee working in a technology lab when he opened a package delivered to the lab. Two days later, the Associated Press reported investigators were trying to determine if the incident was a hoax.

Investigators said they identified inconsistencies in the employee’s statement and became skeptical because his injuries did not match wounds typically consistent with an explosion.

"I have probable cause to believe that certain information provided by Duhaime to the 911 operator and to the federal agent - namely that he was injured by 'sharp' objects expelled from the Subject Case and that the case contained a threatening letter - was fabricated by Duhaime," FBI Special Agent Steven Kimball wrote in an affidavit filed on Monday.

"Evidence discovered during the FBI’s ongoing investigation indicates that Duhaime himself authored the threatening letter,” Kimball added. "I believe, based on the ongoing investigation, that the Subject Case contained no 'sharp' objects, that no objects were expelled from the case when Duhaime opened it, and that Duhaime sustained no injuries as a result of opening the Subject Case.”

Duhaime faces charges of conveying false information and hoaxes related to an explosive device and making materially false and fictitious statements to a federal law enforcement agent, the FBI said. He is expected to be in a Texas court Tuesday afternoon.

“We believe Mr. Duhaime wanted to be the victim but instead victimized his entire community by instilling fear at college campuses in Massachusetts and beyond,” Special Agent in Charge Joseph Bonavolonta said at a news conference Tuesday.

In a statement, Northeastern said Duhaime is no longer employed by the university.

"Northeastern would like to thank the professionals in the FBI, the US Attorney’s Office, and Boston Police Department for bringing this investigation to a close. Knowing what we know now about this incident, we would like to make it clear that there was never any danger to the Northeastern community,” the school said. "As always, the safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our highest priority."