University of Rhode Island says feds focusing on Felner

This from C-J:

University of Rhode Island officials said today that an internal review and a federal investigation have not uncovered any criminal activity by current university employees connected with former University of Louisville education dean Robert Felner.

Federal investigators have “indicated to us that their focus is on Mr. Felner," said Robert Weygand, vice president for administration at the University of Rhode Island. "… They have indicated that as of this date and as of this time no one here at this university is currently the focus of any criminal investigation.”

Felner — who is the focus of a federal investigation into the alleged misappropriation of grant money — worked at the Rhode Island university from 1996 until 2003, when he became the dean of U of L’s College of Education and Human Development.

Felner resigned from U of L in June to take a job in Wisconsin, but later backed out of that job after the federal investigation became public.He started the Rhode Island center and remained its director until 2006. He also entered into two subcontracts with the center to complete work related to the grant. U of L records also show that additional money was also sent to the center to complete other research-related work.

U.S. Attorney David Huber could not be reached for comment.