Danish Researcher Whose Studies Were Used to Deny Vaccine-Autism Link Pleads Guilty

Poul Thorsen, a Danish researcher whose research was used to counter claims that vaccines cause autism, pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges on Sept. 1, 2026 in a federal court in Atlanta.¹

Thorsen, 65, traveled to the United States as a visiting scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2000, the same year the CDC’s Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities awarded more than $11 million to two Danish governmental agencies. The grants funded research into the relationship between autism and vaccine exposure, between cerebral palsy and infection during pregnancy, and between childhood development and fetal alcohol exposure. Thorsen took on responsibility for administering the grant money in 2002.²

Starting in 2004 and continuing through 2008, Thorsen sent more than a dozen invoices to the Danish government, Aarhus University, and a Danish research hospital that were entirely fabricated. Each invoice carried the forged signature of a CDC laboratory section chief and falsely stated that a CDC laboratory had completed work for which payment was owed.

On that basis, Aarhus University wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to what it believed were CDC accounts at the CDC Federal Credit Union. Those accounts were personal accounts held by Thorsen. He allegedly drew down the funds for his own benefit, purchasing a home in Atlanta, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and multiple vehicles.³

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said:

Poul Thorsen allegedly stole more than $1 million in federal grant money by submitting fabricated invoices and diverting funds to his personal bank accounts. International fugitives who think they can avoid responsibility for serious federal crimes by living overseas are wrong. Due to the unwavering persistence of my office and our law enforcement partners, Thorsen has been extradited to the United States and will face justice in federal court.⁴

Thorsen’s Studies Used to Dismiss Autism Claims in Vaccine Court

While managing the grant, Thorsen co-authored two studies that became central to the federal government’s position on vaccines and autism. A 2002 paper reported that there was no association between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot and autism based on Danish population data. A 2003 paper concluded that the mercury-based preservative thimerosal was not a cause of autism, also relying on Danish data. Both papers remain in circulation without including an editor’s note or any other relevant disclosure that their primary researcher was under federal indictment.⁵

The Institute of Medicine relied on Thorsen’s research. His studies were also used to dismiss more than 5,000 claims filed by families of children with autism in an Omnibus Autism Proceeding, which was a type of class-action held in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC that concluded in 2010 with a rejection of all claims that autism is associated with vaccination.^{6 7}

Thorsen’s work has drawn independent scrutiny from researchers who have raised questions about the underlying data, potential conflicts of interest, and methodological choices in the studies.⁸ Critics have also raised questions about whether the research met applicable ethical standards for approval.⁹

Fifteen Years as a Fugitive

In 2011, a federal grand jury in Atlanta charged Thorsen with two counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering. Rather than face the charges, he returned to Denmark, where he remained beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement for close to fourteen years. He appeared during that time on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s list of the ten most wanted fugitives.¹⁰

German authorities took Thorsen into custody in Passau on June 4, 2025 while he was on vacation in Germany pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice tied to the 2011 warrant. Germany agreed to extradite him, and on May 7, 2026, he arrived in the U.S. in federal custody.¹¹

Thorsen initially pleaded not guilty following his arraignment in May, but he eventually changed his plea. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced for up to 110 years in prison and millions in fines.¹²

New Research on Autism

The scientific question about whether vaccines can cause autism that Thorsen’s studies were used to supposedly “settle” has not stayed settled. There have been studies that have suggested some individuals may be vulnerable to developing symptoms of brain and immune dysfunction after vaccination labeled by doctors as “autism.” A paper published in 2011 found that the higher the proportion of children receiving recommended vaccinations, the higher was the prevalence of autism or speech or language impairment.¹³

A study published in 2025 in Science, Public Health Policy, and the Law entitled “Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Study of Nine-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Medicaid” found evidence there is an association between vaccination and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).¹⁴ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has since signaled its intention to launch independent studies into autism’s causes.¹⁵

Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, said:

Thorsen is alleged to have diverted more than a million dollars designated for critical public health and autism research. These funds were entrusted to advance scientific understanding and support children and families; instead, these tax dollars were exploited for personal gain, a serious breach of law and profound betrayal of public trust.¹⁶

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