NASA cooperating with Congressional probe

Eun Kim reports from our Washington bureau ...

NASA said it will cooperate with a congressional probe into charges that a University of Florida professor funneled millions of NASA grant dollars into the personal bank accounts of his family members.

The chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which has oversight of NASA policy, requested the investigation after reports surfaced last week about the alleged scam.

Federal agents recently raided the university office of Samim Anghaie, who, along with his wife and two grown sons, set up a company called New Era Technology, or NETECH. The company along with another set up by Anghaie are recipients of NASA grants.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, in a letter to NASA Acting Administrator Christoper Scolese, asked the agency to turn over all grants, contracts and other awards it made to NETECH, Anghaie or his family members. The agency has until March 29, according to the letter, which was released today.