Mileage money tipped audit of WMU prof

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - Mileage reimbursement money for trips he never took is one of the things that put Dr. Joseph Pellerito into legal trouble and professional trouble with Western Michigan University.

Pellerito is now charged with a felony over the alleged embezzlement. Beyond the mileage money, court documents show he allegedly took a computer, a camera and other Western Michigan University property worth between $1,000 and $20,000.

He's also under scrutiny from the university. Until Tuesday, Pellerito was the chair of the Occupational Therapy Department at WMU. He resigned from the chairmanship.

But he still has tenure and is still a member of the Western Michigan University faculty. It will take a series of steps in a detailed process to remove him from the staff. University officials said the process can take place as Pellerito's case works its way through the legal system, but no steps have yet been taken.

His preliminary exam is scheduled for July 10.

Officials with University Relations would not speak on-camera, but told 24 Hour News 8 a fellow administrator noticed discrepancies and ordered an internal audit. That audit led to the campus police being notified, then the county prosecutor and now felony charges.

In a statement to 24 Hour News 8, University Relations Executive Director Cheryl Roland said that in this case, the university's system of protecting funds worked:

"The University has a long and very strong record of being a good steward of the resources entrusted to it. We have a strong oversight system in place. In this case, it was that normal oversight process that triggered an internal audit and the involvement of our public safety personnel. They, in turn, passed the information they gathered on to the prosecutor."

If convicted of the embezzlement charge, Pellerito could spend five years behind bars.

24 Hour News 8 stopped by Pellerito's house to get his side of what happened. There were people home, but no one answered the door.