Warnings had been raised for years before a major academic fraud scandal involving fabricated cancer research at Duke University came to light. The fraudulent study centered on an algorithm that falsely claimed to recommend the best cancer drug treatments, and involved a key researcher who was misrepresented as a Rhodes Scholar. This scandal has posed a critical challenge for Sally Kornbluth, who was overseeing clinical research at Duke Medical School at the time and is now the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The case has sparked broader concerns about integrity in scientific research, predatory journals, and the credibility of platforms like ResearchGate. Kornbluth has publicly responded to the allegations following reports by the Boston Globe. The incident has intensified scrutiny on how elite universities appoint senior leaders and manage research oversight, highlighting issues of negligence and potential complicity in academic fraud. The controversy also reflects growing doubts about the reliability of published scientific findings and the mechanisms for detecting fraudulent work.