Temple University announced in October 2025 that it had received a $55 million pledge from entrepreneur Christopher Barnett, the largest gift in the school’s history.
Less than a year later, Temple leaders now say the donation has been canceled, days after court records surfaced indicating that Barnett and his companies are the subject of a federal criminal investigation.
Barnett, a 2010 Temple graduate, has also resigned from the university’s Board of Trustees and is currently “recovering from a life-threatening medical event,” administrators wrote in a Sept. 8 message to students and staff.
Nearly six years ago, Barnett founded ABA Centers of America to provide services and health care to children with autism.
Court records unsealed in recent days show that agents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services successfully obtained two search warrants last year for email accounts linked to Barnett and his associates, as part of a probe into fraud and money laundering.
ABA Centers are accused of prioritizing patients based on insurance payouts and manipulating bills to extract higher reimbursements. The alleged scheme has been extensively documented by journalist Samantha Parnham and Behavioral Health Business, which covers the industry.
In a December 2025 affidavit, investigators claim that Barnett used the proceeds from the business to “make extravagant purchases to support a lavish lifestyle,” including nearly $10 million for a private jet.
Temple Board Chair Mitchell Morgan and university president John Fry wrote that Barnett "strenuously denies and intends to defend vigorously” against the allegations. No charges have been filed.
Morgan and Fry said Temple and Barnett have mutually agreed to terminate the donation “given the complexity of the situation and the seriousness of the allegations.”
“We are grateful that Mr. Barnett has expressed a desire to avoid any negative impact on Temple and, in keeping with such desire, has cooperated with the university through this difficult process,” they added.
The money was supposed to go toward Temple’s College of Public Health, which was renamed in his honor after the donation was announced. University officials said no payments were made or due in connection with the contribution.
Fry, last October, penned a letter saying “the impact of this gift cannot be overstated. It will create myriad opportunities for students to make their mark as caregivers, researchers and leaders across the health sciences and professions.”
On Tuesday, he and Morgan acknowledged the news would be “deeply disappointing” for those involved in the College of Public Health but added that “CPS remains one of Temple’s strongest academic units.”
Even without Barnett’s donation, Temple raised more money – $159 million – than ever before, the administrators wrote.
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