The University of Helsinki has terminated its contract with American researcher David Skrbina amid allegations that he led a double life under an antisemitic pseudonym.
Skrbina, who had a visiting researcher contract with the university until the end of 2025, was dismissed last week, the university confirmed to Yle.
The decision follows an Yle report in late March suggesting Skrbina may have secretly operated under the name Thomas Dalton, an antisemitic writer known for publishing Holocaust denial material. Dalton is a pseudonym, and the true identity behind the name has never been confirmed.
Skrbina has denied being Thomas Dalton.
Suspicions arose after Skrbina appeared in a public video discussion using two separate profiles, one under his own name and another as Thomas Dalton. Several other pieces of evidence have also suggested the two individuals may be the same person.
The University of Helsinki stated that Skrbina was given an opportunity to respond before the decision was made, though it declined to disclose details of the discussion.
"From the university's perspective, we have sufficiently investigated the matter," said Mari Sandell, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, in an email to Yle.
Skrbina's academic work has focused on philosophical questions regarding technology. The university confirmed that his work there was related to this field.
His most recent visit to the university was in May 2024, when he taught as part of the course "Sufficiency in Organisation and Management Studies". He had also worked as a part-time lecturer between 2020 and 2023.
The university noted that Skrbina was not invited to teach but had offered his services independently.
Additionally, Skrbina had been working on a book with Toni Ruuska, a docent of sustainable economy at the University of Helsinki. According to Yle, the project has been put on hold due to the allegations surrounding Skrbina.
