Northern Illinois University officials are investigating reports of an alleged secret bank account channeling thousands of dollars to several university workers. NIU spokesman Paul Palian confirms to WNIJ the university's police department is looking into the matter:
"There is currently an investigation underway. It was launched Friday afternoon. It is an NIU police investigation." - Paul Palian, NIU spokesman
NIU employees working at a campus physical plant allegedly sold scrap metal to a local company, which would write checks to an account known as the ``coffee fund.'' Electronic records show checks from the DeKalb Iron and Metal Company to the fund have totaled more than $13,000 since 2005. School officials say they have no record of such a fund.