‘BETRAYED’

Ex-Drexel Professor Charged With Spending Almost $200K in Research Funds on Strip Clubs, Personal Expenses

University auditors determined that the professor spent $96,000 in grant funds at strip clubs and $89,000 in research funds on meals and iTunes.

The former head of Drexel University’s electrical engineering department was charged with theft Tuesday after allegedly misspending $190,000 intended for research money on personal expenses and strip clubs. Philadelphia prosecutors accused Chikaodinaka Nwankpa, 57, of spending $96,000 in grant funds at adult entertainment venues and sports bars between 2010 and 2017 and another $89,000 in research funds on iTunes purchases and meals, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. In October, Drexel agreed to repay the former professor’s misused money to avoid a potential lawsuit from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. “He betrayed Drexel University and the tuition-paying students he was paid to educate,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner in a statement on Tuesday.

A university spokesman said that Drexel immediately reported Nwankpa’s misconduct to authorities when university auditors discovered that he had requested numerous reimbursements for “no receipt purchases” since 2010 and determined that most of the money was spent at adult entertainment venues between midnight and 2 a.m. Nwankpa—who was a professor at Drexel for 27 years—admitted the expenses, resigned from his position, and agreed to pay back $53,328. His preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 29. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in prison.