By Banzay on 08:14
Filed Under: Cecilia, Chang
The suspended vice-president and dean of St. John's University in New York has been charged with embezzling more than $1 million and forcing students to do chores for her or risk losing their scholarships.Cecilia Chang, 57, is charged with forced labour and bribery in addition to previous accusations of embezzlement that resulted in her suspension from the university in January."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," said FBI Special Agent Kenneth F. Hosey in an affidavit obtained by CNN.According to the New York Daily News, the work students were forced to do included shovelling snow, babysitting, cleaning, cooking and chauffeuring.One student also alleged she was asked to bring Chang cash for gambling.According to Hosey, the students and the university believed that the work students would be doing — averaging 20 hours per week — would be connected to the Asian studies program.Outside the courthouse on Thursday, one of Chang's lawyers said the allegations are completely untrue.“The fact that this is even a crime is shocking,” the New York Times reported him saying outside court. “Cooking a meal doesn’t sound at first blush like work-study, but wait till the trial. I’m not going to give you the defence now.”This isn't the first time Chang has been in trouble with St. John's University.According to the district attorney's office in Queen's, she also faces 205 additional charges related to accusations she stole more than $1 million from the university during her tenure as a fundraiser.Among other things, the district attorney alleges she used university funds to pay for her son's tuition, lavish entertainment and travel expenses and stole $250,000 by setting up a fake not-for-profit agency and "wrongfully led the Alwaleed bin Talal Foundation to believe they were donating the money to St. John’s University."If convicted of all charges, Chang faces up to 25 years in prison.Her home, a seven-bedroom, five-bathroom, 4,800-sq.-ft. mansion, is currently listed for sale at $2,888,000 US.
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