Former College of DuPage Radio Employee Indicted on 12 Counts

John Valenta, 65, of Wheaton, was indicted Thursday on felony charges alleging he stole from the College of DuPage campus radio station, the Chicago Tribune is reporting.

The 12-count indictment added the new charge of forgery for John Valenta, who previously was charged with a string of thefts over more than seven years while he worked at WDCB-FM 90.9, a professionally run jazz station largely supported by tax dollars and listener donations,” The Tribune reported. “Valenta bilked the campus radio station of more than $100,000 through late 2013 by submitting phony invoices from his private company, Broadcast Technologies, for materials and services the college never received, according to the DuPage County indictment.”

The business dealings at the campus radio station are just one issue in a series of issues facing the college.

• In January, school board members voted to send the community college’s president Robert Breuder away with a $762,000 buyout. That was funded by taxpayers.
• Then there was a move to censure a board member.
• Earlier in March, it was revealed that nearly $200,000 was charged in food and liquor costs at the college’s fine dining restaurant, Waterleaf.
• By the end of March, the college allegedly awarded signage contracts to a foundation member without going to bid for the jobs.
• Then, on March 31, it was revealed that there are three active subpoenas against the college.
• Finally, in April, academic numbers were questioned.

On April 7, three candidates who ran a campaign of reform at the college were elected to three open seats.