A University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine staff scientist was charged with second degree recklessly endangering safety and tampering with household products after lacing a coworker’s water bottle April 4 and contaminating the victim’s shoes April 6 with chemicals from the Influenza Research Institute lab, according to UW News.
The staff member, Makoto Kuroda, was taken into custody April 10 after the UW Police Department received a report that he had confessed to tampering with his colleague’s water bottle and shoes to a supervisor and the victim, according to the criminal complaint record obtained by The Badger Herald.
Kuroda said he started planning the incident three days before taking action, according to the complaint, after years of small workplace indiscretions added up until he decided to punish the victim.
The victim took a foul-tasting sip from the water bottle — which he spit out — April 4 and noticed a strange odor coming from his shoes April 6, according to the complaint. He shared his observations April 6 with another coworker.
The victim’s coworker reported what happened to UWPD and they responded to the scene that same day, according to the complaint.
Kuroda and the victim worked together for about five years and received a promotion together during that time, according to the complaint. The victim received another promotion that Kuroda did not, though, and he said the victim began treating him and other subordinates as less than from then on.
Kuroda grew frustrated with the victim’s lackadaisical attitude toward wearing lab coats and lack of respect for lab etiquette over the last two years and started to wish something bad would happen to the victim about a year ago, according to the complaint.
As his frustrations grew, Kuroda decided to poison the victim with the intention of getting him sick, according to the complaint.
To plan, Kuroda used the artificial intelligence model ChatGPT to research what a harmful amount of exposure to Trizol and Paraformaldehyde, two of the chemicals used, is for humans and animals, according to the complaint.
ChatGPT provided Kuroda with the amount that could be ingested, as well as warning pop-ups he said he ignored, according to the complaint.
Madison Fire Department conducted testing on the water bottle, and the presence of chloroform was so high the test strips were unable to get an accurate read on the amount, according to the complaint.
After the lab held a meeting to address the incident April 7, Kuroda said he realized what he had done was wrong and the guilt grew until he confessed, according to the complaint.
UW said Kuroda has been placed on administrative leave. If convicted, Kuroda will be a two-time felon facing up to 16 years in prison and a maximum fine of $35,000, according to the complaint.
UWPD declined to comment since the case has moved into the court system.
The Dane County District Attorney’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
