NIC Official Faces Sex-for-Aid Counts

The director of financial aid at North Idaho College has been arrested on suspicion of committing five felonies including attempted misuse of public funds, attempted procurement of prostitution, burglary, using a computer in a scheme to defraud, and bribery. Joseph M. Bekken, 36, of Coeur d’Alene was arrested today, according to a press release from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department. The arrest was the result of a joint investigation between Coeur d’ Alene Police, FBI, North Idaho College, and the Kootenai County Prosecutors Office. According to the press release, on Feb. 2, NIC School Resource Officer Gus Wessel was alerted by the FBI about a post on Craigslist in the casual encounters section. The post talked about a proposition for NIC students. The proposition was for grant money in exchange for sexual favors. After a three week investigation with full cooperation from NIC’s administrative team it was determined the poster of the ads on craigslist was Bekken. Bekken is in custody at the Kootenai County Public Safety Building. This incident remains under investigation. (Photo courtesy of North Idaho College)

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