STAT+: In the biotech industry, a most-wanted fugitive was long hiding in plain sight

When one of Rhode Island’s most-wanted fugitives was discovered last week to have been secretly working under an alias in the biotech industry, the reaction among many was shock. How did he evade scrutiny for two decades? And how did the companies that hired him — at least one biotech on a full-time basis and at least two large pharmaceutical companies on a contractual basis — not vet him more thoroughly? But to an industry recruiter who spoke with Richard Graydon — the alias used by Ronald Fischer, a former doctor who was convicted of sexual assault and who had spent two decades on the run — it wasn’t altogether surprising. Graydon’s stellar academic credentials, board certification, and years of experience leading teams that successfully developed cancer drugs made him an ideal candidate for top jobs at biotech and pharma companies. Much of his CV appears to have been fabricated, according to a STAT review, but it checked the right boxes. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily coverage and analysis of the biotech sector — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe