Yaa Bosumtwi vs. James Phillips: Fraud, Blackmail & Illegal Labor Practices at Columbia University

In research it is typical to publish, and state what the Principal Investigator requests, or perish. But what do you do when your Principal Investigator orders you to omit significant facts, or publish fraudulent information? Then threatens to fire you when you refuse? Faced with pleasing her supervisor, Dr. James Phillips, by committing fraud at his request, or losing her job; Yaa Bosumtwi, a Columbia University MPH graduate, stood firm on ethical grounds, and was fired by Columbia University’s Public Health Executives: Dean Linda Fried, Dr. John Santelli and Dr. James Phillips. This is a story that resonates with all in academia. Dr. James Phillips, the Principal Investigator for the Bill and Melinda Gates MoTeCH project in Ghana, ordered Ms. Bosumtwi to omit references of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Columbia University and the Grameen Foundation’s significant ownership and controlling interests in the MoTeCH project. Dr. Phillips wanted Ms. Bosumtwi to make a false, misleading claim that Ghana Health Service (GHS) owned the MoTeCH project. Dr. Phillips was bold and relentless in his verbal and written directives to commit fraud. For example, in a March 25, 2010 email to Yaa Bosumtwi, Dr Phillips wrote, “It is good that you are starting with MoTeCH’s Objectives and Goals [in the research newsletter], but there is a great deal of emphasis on foreigners and foreign money. Koku [Dr. Awoonor-Williams the Regional Health Director] with nurses, etc., would emphasize, in a not too subtle way, that MoTeCH is GHS owned.” That email was one of Dr, Phillips’ numerous requests asking Ms. Bosumtwi to misrepresent, omit or skew the foreign ownership of the project to mislead Ghanaian policymakers and other stakeholders. It was a nightmare. Yaa Bosumtwi, who was later described as a “skillful and careful employee” by Dean Fried and Dr. Santelli, immediately responded to Dr. Phillips and refused carry out his illegal and unethical requests to mislead and...

Channel: Vimeo Video Length: 12m 3s Date Found: Sun, Feb 06 2011 2:51 AM Category: Home Video Date Produced: Wed, Jun 16 2010 2:56 AM View Count: 0