Thorstensen Lab charged with falsifying data

[Sadsack]

Good God.
Came across this 2009 Boston Globe article about Thorstensen Lab in MA. This lab was given a $4,600. grant from the MRF in 2008. Are they the source of the "Phase 1" study results? Could this have anything to do with why they have not published a Phase 2 study, as they said they would? Or why the MRF website has not been updated re: registered households, newsletters, etc?
This is very upsetting, and I hope there is some explanation for this (other than the apparent one).

Lab owner charged with falsifying water test reports - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe








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Lab owner charged with falsifying water test reports

E-mail|Link|Comments (0) June 9, 2009 08:03 PM
By Jenna Nierstedt, Globe Staff
"The former owner of an environmental testing laboratory in Westford was indicted today for submitting falsified water testing reports to the Department of Environmental Protection for several municipalities, according to authorities.
Michael Carlson, 56, of Westford, who is the former owner of Thorstensen Laboratory Inc., was indicted by a Middlesex grand jury yon 50 counts of making false reports to the DEP, two counts of larceny under $250, and two counts of larceny over $250, said a joint statement from the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Environmental Protection. He is accused of filing false reports for a number of municipalities, including Ashby, Chicopee, Harvard, and Lawrence, authorities said.

The DEP had partially decertified Thorstensen Laboratory in August 2007 and March 2008, which prohibited it from conducting several tests on water supplies. The action followed routine on-site inspections by DEP, the statement said. At that time, Carlson told the DEP he would subcontract those tests to other certified labs, the authorities said.
In December 2008, the DEP Laboratory Certification Program conducted an unannounced enforcement inspection and revoked Thorstensen Laboratory’s entire certification to conduct tests on water supplies and wastewater.
A subsequent investigation by the Massachusetts Environmental Crimes Strike Force found that Carlson was not subcontracting out water tests, according to the authorities. Instead, he manipulated the lab results to make them appear as if they had been conducted by certified laboratories, even though the water samples had either not been tested or had been tested at Thorstensen, a decertified laboratory, authorities allege.

Chicopee Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said the city's water commissioners would meet Wednesday to discuss what, if any, role the city would play in the prosecution.

"People have to be able to trust that when they turn on their water faucet, it's to safe to drink and use for other needs," he said, adding that the city does its own daily testing of water from the Quabbin Reservoir. "It's pretty despicable to tamper with the public health like that."
Larceny over $250 carries a possible penalty of up to five years in state prison or two years in a house of correction and a fine no greater than $25,000; larceny under $250 carries up to one year in a house of correction and a fine no greater than $3000; and making false reports carries up to one year in the house of correction and a fine no greater than $1,000.
Carlson will be arraigned in Superior Court at a later date, the statement said. A phone number listed for Carlson was disconnected."

SS

[lamb]

Masshole. Nothing Ever Changes With The Brain Dead.

[carla]

I hate saying I told you so.

[tcmgpt13]

It's hard to believe MRF did not research the laboratories they were thinking about using. One good source to find reliable labs for water testing would have been Consumer Reports. Donations are hard to come by these days, especially for Morgellons research. I am so sorry this happened and I know it must be a real disappointment to Sadsack who has made donations towards Morgellons research which she discussed here in the past.

[Sadsack]

Originally Posted by carla

I hate saying I told you so.

What exactly did you say, Carla? That the lab wasn't legitimate? That the MRF isn't legitimate?

SS

[Venetia]

Originally Posted by Sadsack

Good God.
Came across this 2009 Boston Globe article about Thorstensen Lab in MA. This lab was given a $4,600. grant from the MRF in 2008.

SS

Could you post your source confirming that MRF gave Thorstensen Lab a Grant?

Thanks,

~V~

[Sadsack]

Originally Posted by Venetia

Could you post your source confirming that MRF gave Thorstensen Lab a Grant?

Thanks,

~V~

Go to Guidestar. You will have to register to access information. It is on their 2008 returns.

SS

[Venetia]

Thanks Sadsack

~V~

[kmar]

QUOTE From Article:

"The DEP had partially decertified Thorstensen Laboratory in August 2007"
-----------------------------------------------

So since this was on the MRF 2008 return, the money was actually given in 2007.

(perhaps the donation was given before August 2007 and certainly before this article printed in 2009)

June 9, 2009 08:03 PM
By Jenna Nierstedt, Globe Staff

Non profits are not required to fill out this 990 form unless their gross receipts are more than $25,000.

Doesn't appear to me that they are "hiding" this information because they freely filed this information when it was not even required of them.

Since we have not had a newsletter in quite some time......

Perhaps we could simply ask if this Lab's problems are the reason for the Phase II not being released yet?



.

[Sadsack]

I am guessing that the MRF gave the grant before the information about the lab's integrity was known. I can't think of any reason for giving the grant to a company with known problems - can you?

Who would ask the MRF about the Phase 2 study, or the inattention to their site? I did email them a few months ago asking if a newsletter would be coming out anytime soon, but got no response. Maybe someone else would have more luck.

SS