A former Head of Department at Drexel University in the United States, Dr. Chika Nwankpa, has been accused of misappropriating $190,000 meant for research purposes.
According to the Daily Mail, the Nigerian-born University Professor misappropriated funds issued by the Navy, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation, to pay off hefty expenses at gentlemen's clubs and sports bars in the Philadelphia area. Investigators also found he had also spent money on iTunes.
The university had reportedly discovered the alleged fraud in 2017 during an internal audit and alerted the government.
Speaking on the allegation, US Attorney William McSwain said, “This is an example of flagrant and audacious fraud, and a shameful misuse of public funds. The agencies providing these grant funds expect them to be used towards advancements in energy and naval technology for public benefit, not for personal entertainment.”
In total, Dr. Nwankpa was found to have misappropriated a total of $189,062, which had been intended for energy, science, and naval research.
When confronted by authorities, Dr. Nwankpa admitted to being the culprit behind the unauthorized expenses and resigned from his post.
The former University professor agreed to pay back $53,328 and has been barred from federal contracting for six months, but has not been charged with a crime as of yet. During his time with the University, he was considered among the “university’s top contractors of research grant funds” landing more than $10 million in research money across his career.
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