Law Schools, Money, Ohio State - Moritz College of Law

Moritz College of Law Student Investigated For Embezzlement

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Above the Law has learned that officials at Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law are investigating the actions of the school’s 2008-2009 Student Bar Association President. As we understand it, the investigation remains internal and has not resulted in any law enforcement action; accordingly, we will not be printing the student’s name.
Word around campus is that the former SBA president is being investigated for allegedly misappropriating student funds. A tipster reports the details this way:

[The former SBA President] is now under investigation by the administration for embezzling thousands of dollars from the University. [He] reportedly used this money to fund trips around the country, including a spring break booze-fueled extravaganza — having told the administration that the funds would be used to attend a “conference.”

Our sources report that university investigators have already contacted and questioned members of the Moritz class of 2009 who know the former president. We also understand that his boyfriend, an undergraduate at OSU, has been questioned.
The allegedly embezzled money came from the Inter-Professional Council:

Throughout the year, IPC plans or co-plans a variety of social, professional outreach, and community services events, including professional skills workshops, multi-cultural dinners at area restaurants, and food drives for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank.

We believe that the total amount of money at issue is in the neighborhood of $3,600. As one student put it, the IPC “doesn’t do much for students anyway.”
The law school’s response and more details, after the jump.


The students we spoke with seemed primarily concerned about the effect that this investigation will have on the school’s reputation, rather than the allegations their former SBA president misappropriated funds. Earlier this summer, we reported on another Moritz College of Law student who drunkenly robbed a Dairy Queen. They’re hoping U.S. News doesn’t notice a trend:

[Y]et another felon lurking in the midst of these legal Buckeyes … Last year the Ohio State Moritz College of Law dropped several spots in the U.S. News & World Report rankings; we can only imagine what will happen this year.

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The university has to take these allegations more seriously. Our sources report that the administration is considering two punishments for the former SBA president: (1) reporting his alleged misdeeds to the character & fitness committee of whatever state bar he applies for, or (2) withholding his diploma.
Not surprisingly, university officials would not comment about the case:

The Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act prohibits the university from confirming, denying, or commenting on student disciplinary proceedings without the release of the student.

But the official we spoke with had this to add:

Your email said “[The former SBA president] graduated in 2009.” In fact, [he] has not received a degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

The former SBA president is listed on Facebook as an “Ohio State Grad Student ’09.” This makes us wonder why, according to the law school, he “has not received a degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.”
Via Facebook, we contacted the former SBA president about the allegations. He did not respond to our inquires.
We imagine that legal ethics seminars will be very well attended this coming semester at Moritz.
Earlier: Law Student of the Day: Moritz Student DQ’ed from Dairy Queen

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