Former Northeastern University Lab Manager Convicted of Hoax Explosion and Lying to Federal Agent

Jason Duhaime, a former lab manager at Northeastern University, has been found guilty of staging a hoax explosion on the Boston campus. A federal jury convicted Duhaime, 46, of three counts on Friday. He could potentially face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each offense.

Duhaime, hailing from San Antonio, Texas, worked as the university's new technology manager and director of the Immersive Media Lab. In September 2022, he made a distress call to the university police, claiming that he had opened a Pelican hard plastic case which then exploded, causing him injuries on his arms due to flying sharp objects.

Upon receiving the call, law enforcement authorities swiftly responded to the scene, evacuating the area and summoning the bomb squad. Duhaime provided police officers with a letter he allegedly found inside the exploded case. The letter claimed that the lab was involved in a project to immerse people in a virtual reality world, collaborating secretly with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and the U.S. government.

However, the FBI soon uncovered discrepancies in Duhaime's story. The agents found no evidence of explosives in the cases, and the letter appeared to be in pristine condition. Furthermore, an examination of Duhaime's computer revealed a copy of the letter in a backup folder, which he had written just a few hours before making the 911 call.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy emphasized the seriousness of bomb hoaxes, stating that they have real-life consequences leading to fear in communities, diversion of law enforcement resources, and significant financial repercussions. Levy affirmed the commitment of local, state, and federal authorities to hold accountable any individual who attempts to spread fear and distress within the community.

Duhaime is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2.