Paul Bedewi, a former research scientist at GW’s National Crash Analysis Center, pleaded guilty last month to misusing almost $80,000 of federal funds.

Bedewi, who also served as deputy director of vehicle safety and biomechanics at the Virginia center, was charged with theft concerning federal funds in the U.S. District Court Oct. 24. He is awaiting sentencing and faces 10 years in prison, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Paul Bedewi is the cousin of former GW professor and crash center director Nabih Bedewi, who was sentenced in June to more than three years in prison and ordered to repay $872,000 to GW after he pleaded guilty in April to embezzling more than $900,000 from the program.

The crash center conducts vehicle safety studies and received about 80 percent of its funding from the Federal Highway Administration until last year, when the government suspended part of its $14 million grant.

According to court documents, Paul Bedewi caused the center to pay about $36,150 in unauthorized and fraudulent graduate assistant stipend payments issued in the name of his wife, and he embezzled $42,452 through his unauthorized use of a GW credit card from August 2002 and June 2004.

Tracy Schario, GW director of Media Relations, said Paul Bedewi’s guilty plea will be helpful in settling the ongoing investigation of the misuse of funds designated for the crash center.

“The University continues to cooperate with federal authorities and the Federal Highway Administration,” she said. “Bedewi’s recent plea brings us one step closer (to resolving the issue).”

GW has worked to strengthen internal oversight controls at the center and revise its polices for federal grants. The Department of Transportation recently recommended that the Federal Highway Administration reinstate its funding of the center.

-Katie Rooney