Workplace Blog

LEO Weekly: Embezzlepalooza 2008: Felner indicted

A federal grand jury has indicted former U of L Dean Robert Felner and his cohort from Illinois on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. Given the complexity of the case, the indictment came sooner than expected — just six months after University of Louisville police first tipped off the feds.

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Quad-City Times: Ex Ky. dean, Ill. man accused of stealing grants

LOUISVILLE, Ky.— The president of the Riverdale School Board in Port Byron, Ill., and the former education dean at the University of Louisville were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday with pilfering more than $2 million in federal grant money.

Thomas Schroeder, a Port Byron resident who is also director of the Rock Island County Council on Addictions, and ex-dean Robert Felner are charged with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to interfere or impede the Internal Revenue Service.

The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court, Louisville, Ky.

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Courier-Journal: Ex-U of L dean, associate face charges

$2.3 million misappropriated, federal indictment says

During the past seven years, former University of Louisville Education Dean Robert Felner and a colleague siphoned $2.3 million from grants and contracts, keeping the money for themselves, according a federal indictment returned yesterday.

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Courier-Journal: Felner surrenders to authorities

Former University of Louisville Education Dean Robert Felner has turned himself into federal authorities.

Felner said nothing as he walked into the Mazzoli federal building shortly before 1 p.m. today, flanked by his attorneys.

He is scheduled to be arraigned at 3 p.m. in federal court. His attorney, Scott C. Cox, said his client had no comment.

Felner was indicted yesterday on charges of fraudulently obtaining nearly $2.3 million in grant money from University of Louisville and University of Rhode Island.

A federal grand jury in Louisville charged Felner, 58, with 10 counts of mail fraud, money-laundering conspiracy and income-tax evasion.

The 45-page indictment says that Felner and a colleague from Illinios, Thomas Schroeder, 58, took $1.7 million from the Rhode Island school and about $576,000 from U of L, and attempted to embezzle another $240,000 from U of L.

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The United States of America

Thomas Schroeder (Counts 1, 2, 9, and 10)

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Fox41.com: Robert Felner to surrenders and is arrested

Fox 41 News has learned that the former U of L dean accused of embezzling more than two million dollars surrendered to authorities Thursday afternoon. Robert Felner was then arrested and the U.S. attorney’s office says Felner will be formally charged later this afternoon.

Felner and a partner were indicted on charges of embezzling $1.7-million from the University of Rhode Island, and $576,000 from the University of Louisville. Authorities say Felner used federal grant money for his personal spending.

Felner faces up to 75-years in prison if convicted and nearly $3-million in fines.

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WHAS11.com: Felner turns himself in to authorities

Robert Felner has turned himself into authorities. After a six month investigation, Robert Felner has been indicted for mishandling and diverting more than $2 million of university grant money for his own use. The news spread across campus Wednesday and so did the disappointment.

“A lot of us are students that work and that money goes towards our education. He’s wasting our money that we’re working hard for to come here and get an education. That’s pretty heartless,” Steve Hartman, University of Louisville student, said. “I think it’s the right move. I think he should be punished for his actions and I think he got what he deserved.”

According to authorities, some of the money Felner has been charged with embezzling apparently went to buy four houses. They also said Felner sent $576,000 of U of L money to his personal investment account. They also said the embezzlements didn’t start at U of L.

Felner and his colleague, Thomas Schroeder, are accused of embezzling more than $1.7 million from the University of Rhode Island, while Felner was the dean of education there. For that, students like Hartman said he should go to jail.

“I think education is pretty expensive as it is and to worry about somebody coming and just getting money just like that and he doing what he wants to do with it, that makes me sick,” Daniel Serpa said.

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Boston Herald: Former URI dean indicted in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A former University of Rhode Island official has been indicted in Kentucky on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and income tax evasion, in part for allegations he plotted to embezzle $1.7 million from URI.

Robert Felner was also indicted Wednesday for allegedly mishandling federal grant money in his former position as education dean at the University of Louisville, a job he took after leaving URI in 2003.

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Herald-Leader: Former dean, associate accused of stealing grants

The former education dean at the University of Louisville and an Illinois man have been charged with pilfering more than $2 million in federal grant money.

The ex-dean, Robert Felner, and an associate, Thomas Schroeder of Port Byron, Ill., were charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Felner also faces six charges of federal income tax evasion for allegedly failing to report $1.6 million in income from 2002-2007. The indictment says he owes $500,000 in back taxes.

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The Journal Times: Felner indicted on charges of misusing federal grant money

Before he was chosen to lead the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Robert Felner pilfered more than $2 million in grant money, according to charges filed Wednesday.

Felner, also former education dean at the University of Louisville, and an associate, Thomas Schroeder of Port Byron, Ill., were charged Wednesday with conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Felner also faces six charges of federal income tax evasion for allegedly failing to report $1.6 million in income from 2002-2007. The indictment says he owes $500,000 in back taxes.

The indictment states Felner and Schroeder conspired to embezzle more than $1.7 million from the University of Rhode Island, fraudulently obtained $576,000 in grant money and attempted to embezzle another $240,000 from the University of Louisville through the National Center on Public Education and Social Policy at the University of Rhode Island.

U.S. Attorney David Huber in Louisville said the University of Rhode Island, where Felner was director of the School of Education from 1996 to 2003, was the biggest victim in the scheme.

“People who are in a trusted position, who have credibility, are able to get away with things to a point,” Huber said. “Eventually, things come crashing down.”

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The Gazette (Maryland): Former University of Louisville dean indicted on conspiracy, tax evasion charges

Robert D. Felner, the former of dean of the University of Louisville who signed off on Superintendent John E. Deasy’s doctoral dissertation, was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Kentucky. Felner was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, as well as tax evasion, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky.

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Providence Journal: Update: Ex-URI official indicted in Ky. on fraud charges

Robert Felner, a national education figure and former director of the University of Rhode Island’s School of Education, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of money laundering conspiracy, mail program fraud and tax evasion by the U.S. Attorney in Kentucky.

According to the indictment, Felner, 58, and a former colleague in Illinois, Thomas Schroeder, 58, conspired to embezzle about $1.7 million from URI.

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Courier-Journal: Amount of money shocks officials

University of Rhode Island officials said yesterday they were not surprised that former University of Louisville education dean Robert Felner, who once headed their education school, was indicted on charges of misappropriating federal grant and other money.
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But they were shocked to learn how much money Felner is accused of taking from an education center he created and directed at the university until 2006 — $1.7 million.

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