A worker at Northeastern University's virtual reality lab was arrested Tuesday for arranging an apparent hoax that evacuated parts of campus and touched off a search at other Boston colleges and universities, according to the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office in Boston.
Authorities have charged Jason Duhaime with intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive device and making "materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent," according to the complaint.
"In a recorded 911 call and in a subsequent recorded conversation with a federal law enforcement agent, Duhaime reported that he was injured by 'sharp' objects expelled from a plastic case that he opened inside the Immersive Media Lab (the 'Lab') on the evening of September 12, 2022," the complaint said.
There was no evidence the package, contained in a hard plastic Pelican case, ever exploded. The package also included a threatening letter directed at the lab, the complaint said.
The FBI said Duhaime himself authored the threatening letter and the case contained no "sharp" objects.
It's unclear if Duhaime has a lawyer.
Northeastern is a private research university located in Boston.
