He did cheat, it was proven, the lab didn't mess up, and now he's admitted it.
With all due respect, the lab did mess up, protocols were not folowed, the chain of evidence was laughable and t einterpretation and calibration of the machines was of a standard which a PhD student would be embarrassed by.
I do have a professional interest in analytical mass spectrometry. It is one of the areas in which I am an active researcher. The decision made was political, and notjustifiable on scientific grounds. That is why they published all the data (and yes I did go through it all and examine it).
There was no competent evidence that would get past proper peer review. FOrtunately for the lab they were not beig scrutinised by scientists. The well respected scientists (including the one who designed and wrote the manual for the mass spectrometer used) who did give evidence were slamming the lap procedures.
So for those competent to look at the evidence, the lab did mess up, they fudged like crazy and that is why I am so pissed off. If you want to curtail a career you have to be whiter than white in your testing. The lab should have been beyond reproach - they clearly weren't (from the evidence presented) and relied heavily on appeal to authority.
It's nice to have your touching faith in vested interests but I prefer to analyse the science.