Naheed Mangi, 66, a former Stanford University employee, has been convicted of accessing a clinical research database and altering patient records after her authorization was revoked. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California announced Mangi’s conviction on Monday, highlighting her involvement in tampering with a breast cancer study’s database.
Mangi, who was employed as a clinical research coordinator at the Cancer Clinical Trials Office at Stanford from September 2012 until August 2013, was assigned to a study on breast cancer called the Velvet Breast Cancer MO27782 Study.
On August 19, 2013, after being terminated from her position, Mangi’s supervisor revoked her access to Stanford-related computer systems. Despite this, Mangi logged into the clinical research database later that same day and proceeded to alter patient records. She replaced legitimate medical information with false data and inserted personal insults about her former supervisor.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed that Mangi was convicted on two counts: intentional damage to a protected computer and unauthorized access to a protected computer.
Mangi now faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of intentional computer damage and up to one year in prison for the unauthorized access conviction.
“Naheed Mangi intentionally tampered with a breast cancer research database by entering false information and personal insults,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “Her senseless actions undermined a study into the safety and efficacy of a new treatment for breast cancer patients.”
