Friday, October 1, 2010

FBI Says Ex-NY University Official Forced Students to Perform Chores For Scholarships

SJ_LogoBy Allan Lengel

Now it’s the feds turn to teach Cecilia Chang, former vice president and dean of a New York university, a big lesson.

Federal authorities in New York on Wednesday indicted the former St. John’s University official for allegedly threatening to revoke scholarships if students failed to carry out certain tasks like cook, shovel snow, clean, wash clothes and chauffeur her family, who lives in Queens.

She also had students deliver money to her at a casino, authorities alleged in a court document. She is charged with soliciting and accepting payments of things of value as an agent of an organization and forced labor.
FBI agent Kenneth F. Hosey in an affidavit said that Chang had the authority to grant “discretionary scholarships” to up to 15 students each year.

“Chang threatened the students and placed them in fear that if they refused to perform these personal services, they would lose their scholarships and be unable to attend St. John’s,” Hosey wrote.
Read FBI Affidavit

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