Tyrone Hankerson, Jr has been called everything from Tyrone The Scammer to the biggest finesser in Howard University history over the course of the past two days. The law student from Atlanta has been accused of embezzling $429,000 from other students financial aid in order to support himself, go on lavish trips and more. Aside from a statement, Hankerson has mostly been quiet. Until now.
Roland Martin sat down with the embattled student as well as his lawyer for a lengthy conversation where they discuss everything, including whether or not Tyrone actually took $429,000. Here are the 10 things we learned from Tyrone’s conversation.
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
He Finished Undergrad In 2015 And Will Be Graduating From Law School In May
Tyrone worked in the financial aid office from 2011 to 2015 and served the director’s within the office of financial aid as an assistant. He was just a “student-worker” in his eyes.
He Believes He’s Being Used As A Means To Get Dr. Wayne Frederick Out Of Office
While he denies ever embezzling funds from Howard University, he does believes he’s being positioned as a sacrifice in order to remove Frederick after students across campus voiced their concerns about living conditions at the University. “I think it was a ploy to stick it to Dr. Frederick and they’re in the administration building doing a lot of crazy — they’ve taken over the aid building.”
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
He Says He Received Over $200,000 In Undergrad
From 2011 to 2015, Hankerson says he received over $200,000 in grant money as well as money he made while working at the university, studying abroad and more. “I went year around, from fall semester to spring semester and even summer. There are details in there that are inaccurate contextually. The money that was awarded to me was under the discretion of university officials who have the authority to make those decisions.”
The Cost Of Attending Howard A Year? $44,000 A Year
Combine $44K a year along with Tyrone’s current situation as a third-year law student? You probably could have about $400,000 in regards to awards and grants to attend the university.
Tyrone’s Stunt Game Came From “Balling On A Budget” And Knowing People
Tyrone cites knowing a few friends in the fashion industry in New York as well as the culture of Howard U being a “fashion show” as to why his social media appeared the way it did. His employment at Howard ended when he began his first year at Howard Law. He’s not been contacted by anyone at Howard University in regards to what he’s allegedly done, even though there was an investigation.
He Was The Best Person To Represent That Mismanagement Had Occurred
Tyrone believes he was named because of a current attack on Dr. Frederick. “If you wanted to present a narrative, I was the best person to present that. Again, I was a student around the university that people knew that I was involved with the administration building as a whole. That I received these awards, that I live this lifestyle … that I fit the ideal profile to go after Dr. Frederick.”
“I had no decision making authority with the awards I was given,” he said. “Nor have I ever authorized any money put on my account.”
Tyrone Has Not Done A Formal CPA To Go Over All The Money … But His Lawyer Can’t Recall His Own Personal Financials From Undergrad
via GIPHY
Everyone remembers their first refund check but, Tyrone has yet to do a full CPA report to itemize and show how he got all of his aid money.
They Want A Full Apology From Howard University
Again, Tyrone believes he’s being used as a scapegoat and wants the university to apologize to him for having his information be leaked to a third party.
https://twitter.com/NifMuhammad/status/979126943793770497
He Says He Received All His Money Due To Merit And Need
For all his accomplishments on campus, Tyrone feels he was awarded what he was award and the fact that he netted so much in need based grants because his need, aka his personality ability to contribute to his tuition, was zero. All of his aid was not received in four years, but rather through the course of his seven years at the school.
Tyrone does feel that there’s a safety concern for him on campus and that his lawyer is worried for him. The lawyer also stated that the six people who were fired were guilty of fund mismanagement and are using his client to show that Frederick should be fired or forced to resign from his position. He also stated that this is all a possible means of extortion.
He’s Never Owned A Range Rover And Used His Financial Aid For “Survival”
The photo in question of him posing in front of a Range Rover supposedly took place at Howard Homecoming and that he doesn’t actually own a Range. He does however, drive an Infiniti and copped all of the gear from the coats to the loafers and more — were for survival.