A Stony Brook University associate professor pilfered grant money meant for cancer research and used it to pay for personal expenses, including mortgage payments on his house, federal prosecutors said.

Geoffrey Girnun, 48, director of cancer metabolomics at Stony Brook’s Renaissance School of Medicine, was charged Thursday with wire fraud and money laundering after allegedly siphoning over $200,000 from cancer research grants issued by the university and the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice announced.

The release states that Girnun allegedly created shell companies that claimed to be providing research materials and equipment for his cancer research projects. Girnun then submitted fraudulent invoices to the university for services that were never provided.

Once secured, Girnun transferred the funds into his personal bank account, which he used to pay off his mortgage, among other expenses. The payments were made over four years, from 2013 to 2017.

“Professor Girnun’s alleged theft of federal and state grant funds earmarked for cancer research can be explained in two words: pure greed,” US Attorney Richard Donoghue said in the press release. “He will now be held to account in a federal courtroom.”

“As millions of Americans place their faith in programs established to fund cancer-related research, Geoffrey Girnun, a professor, allegedly siphoned money from grant funds established for this very purpose,” added FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney.

“While people continued to suffer from their illnesses, Girnun made payments toward his personal mortgage with the money he stole. His conduct is despicable, and it won’t be tolerated.”

Girnun was arraigned in federal court on Long Island Wednesday afternoon. He pleaded “not guilty,” posted a $250,000 bond against his parents’ home in Florida and was released Thursday.

Among his bail conditions, he is not allowed in any Stony Brook facility.

“Geoffrey was completely shocked by these charges. At this time, these are merely allegations,” his attorney Steven Metcalf said. “I ask for everyone to hold off in rushing to judgement. We will be zealously and vigorously defending against these charges.”

If convicted, Girnun faces up to 20 years in prison.

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