Billionaire Harvard alum William A. Ackman publicly declared his support for former Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino, calling her innocence a cause and announcing he is funding her litigation against Harvard. Ackman posted an extensive statement on X and criticized the university for what he described as a reputation‑protecting move that destroyed a scholar’s standing. Harvard had stripped Gino of tenure after an investigation into alleged research misconduct that began in July 2023; HBS Dean Srikant Datar initiated the review and placed Gino on unpaid leave. Lawrence Lessig and other academics have also mounted detailed defenses of Gino in podcasts and public commentary. Ackman framed the case as emblematic of broader concerns about institutional handling of alleged misconduct and reputation management. The public backing by a high‑profile donor and alumni figure escalates pressure on Harvard and keeps academic‑misconduct and tenure revocation debates in the spotlight for university governance officials and faculty bodies.