Lexington resident sentenced to prison over fraud involving federal research money

A Lexington woman convicted of fraud involving federal research money has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison, according to federal prosecutors.

Jyoti Agrawal, 51, also was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of Energy and $500,000 to the state Cabinet for Economic Development, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV.

Agrawal had a business called ScienceTomorrow LLC that applied for federal and state funding for research projects, according to court documents.

Agrawal was charged with submitting false documents and misrepresenting information to get an award and keeping money she wasn’t supposed to keep.

In one example, she allegedly generated a false letter saying her company had a deal with the University of Tennessee to work on an electron scanning microscope, but the contract didn’t exist.

Agrawal denied wrongdoing, but a jury convicted her on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.

Her ex-husband, Subhadarshi Nayak, 50, pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to six months in jail and six months on home detention.

Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves sentenced Agrawal Friday in Lexington, ordering her to report to prison next June.