The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the office of the director of the Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute at the University of Florida this morning, according to news reports. The institute studies the application of nuclear power to space propulsion.

FBI agents began searching the offices of the director, Samim Anghaie, around 8 a.m., The Gainesville Sun reported. It was unclear what prompted the raid, which concluded four hours later. The Sun cited an unnamed source who said the investigation had to do with “financial improprieties.”

The Associated Press later reported that court documents accused Mr. Anghaie and members of his family of having fraudulently received millions of dollars from NASA and funneled money into personal bank accounts.

University officials have not responded to requests for comment except to say that they are cooperating with the investigation.

Mr. Anghaie is a professor of radiological engineering. He emigrated to the United States in 1978 from Iran because of the religious persecution he faced there as a member of the Baha’i faith, the Sun reported. He joined the faculty at Florida in 1980, earned a doctorate in nuclear engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1982, and founded the institute in 1985.

Mr. Anghaie has reportedly served on research advisory boards and panels for a number of U.S. government agencies, including NASA, the National Research Council, and the Departments of Energy and Defense. —Steve Kolowich