UW-Madison researcher accused of contaminating coworker’s water bottle

‘Evil’ Connections Suspected in Scientist’s Mysterious Death

Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, has raised alarms regarding a troubling pattern linked to the mysterious deaths and disappearances of 11 American scientists tied to nuclear, aerospace, and defense research. In a separate analysis, former FBI agent Nicole Parker discussed odd incidents, including lost cell phones and missing data. Additionally, an Iranian national was detain for allegedly smuggling drones and weapons intended for Iran, posing significant national security dilemmas for both the White House and NASA.

A Japanese researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is now facing a felony charge for reportedly admitting to trying to poison a colleague at the university’s Influenza Research Institute (IRI) back in April, as reported by Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR).

Investigators reveal that Makoto Kuroda, aged 41, felt disrespected when a friend received a promotion. This led him to allegedly tamper with his friend’s water bottle by adding various toxic substances. A note he passed to another colleague stated, “I did it” in Japanese.

As declared by Dane County Court, Kuroda has claimed responsibility for poisoning his co-workers’ water and shoes with chemicals like chloroform, paraformaldehyde (PFA), and Trizol. Notably, Kuroda, an IRI researcher, has published extensively on viruses such as Ebola and COVID-19 and had access to a variety of hazardous materials.

A police report referenced in court documents mentioned that Kuroda utilized Chat GPT in the days leading up to the incident, presumably to gauge the levels of PFA and Trizol, both of which are detrimental to humans and animals alike.

The alleged victim, referred to only as TM in the papers, was formerly a close friend of Kuroda before their relationship soured. Court documents reveal that Kuroda indicated several minor incidents spurred his drastic action, including frustration over TM’s unwillingness to wear proper lab attire. He also believed that TM’s demeanor changed significantly post-promotion.

Kuroda’s grievances extended beyond professional disagreements. He described how TM would behave in a way that Kuroda found dismissive. For instance, he noted an “unwritten rule” about waiting for colleagues to pass through the lab, which TM breached, further aggravating Kuroda.

Apparently, Kuroda administered 0.5 milliliters of 4 percent PFA into TM’s water, with Kuroda claiming he didn’t mean to cause lethal harm—his intention was merely to ensure TM felt unwell.

When questioned by police about the possible outcomes of his actions, Kuroda paused for around thirty seconds before affirmatively stating, “No, you shouldn’t do that.”

After police intervention, Kuroda admitted to his actions to both TM and another colleague, who also spoke Japanese. In a letter addressed to the colleague, he expressed remorse, admitting, “I did it. I am very sorry.”

Charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety and tampering with household goods, if convicted, Kuroda could face up to 16 years in prison along with fines exceeding $35,000.