Dubious American physician, virologist and bio-weapons expert Steven Hatfill, whose name was caught up in the terrorism-related paranoia in 2002, has reached a $5.8 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department. Hatfill did some illegal stuff, such as forging his PhD diploma and embellishing other (most) parts of his resume, but it appears that he had nothing to do with the anthrax attacks of 2001.

The Justice Department released a statement on Friday afternoon in which they said Steven Hatfill will receive a one-time payment of $2.825 million and, beginning 2009, a $150,000 annuity for 20 years, according to court papers.

The government, looking for a scapegoat while under tremendous pressure following the 9/11 attacks, has named Steven Hatfill "person of interest" in the anthrax attacks which led to the deaths of five people. Nearly seven years after the toxic letters were mailed, the case is still unsolved. A teary Hatfill denied in August 2002 any connection with the terrorist attacks and blasted the government for leaking information about the government's investigation against him, which ruined his reputation.

The FBI did a very poor job in the case, focusing obsessively on Hatfill, some lawmakers have told the press. In May 2003 a FBI surveillance car even ran over Hatfill's foot. Hatfill, who worked at the Army's biological-warfare research center at suburban Fort Detrick, Md., said the leaked information about his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks cost him his job as well as any chance of future employment.

Anthrax is a disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. The form used in biological warfare is much more dangerous, because it is made up of a high concentration of spores and they usually are of a special, more virulent, strain. Natural exposure,  to anthrax, which can be carried by several animals, is usually not very dangerous due to the low spore concentration.