Cops: College Administrator Offered Financial Aid for Sex
A former financial aid officer was arrested in Idaho this week after police say he solicited college students for sex through Craigslist, promising them grant money in return, The Spokesman-Review reports.
According to police, they first became aware of the scheme after the FBI alerted them to a Craigslist "casual encounters" post aimed at students attending North Idaho College. From KHQ:
FBI Agents and Spokane Detectives working internet crimes responded to ads that said "Hello, I have a proposition for NIC students." The message detectives received was "I have some grant money that I can get applied to your account. I just look for some fun in return."
With the approval of NIC President Joe Dunlap Coeur d' Alene officers created a fake student account and responded to the NIC ads again. The response officers got back was the same as before, "I have some extra grant money to allocate. Just looking for some potential fun on the side." Officers asked what they would have to do and were told, "I'm completely open. Sex, oral, etc...watching."
33-year-old Joseph M. Bekken ultimately deposited a total of $587 in grants into the student account before being detained at a meet-up arranged by police, KXLY reports.
The former NIC Financial Aid Director now faces charges of attempted misuse of public funds, attempted procurement of prostitution, burglary, using a computer in a scheme to defraud and bribery.
