Emails indicate UCF president had details about Trevor Colbourn Hall since 2016

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An audit revealed that the University of Central Florida misused $38 million, and now UCF President Dale Whittaker has offered to resign.

New documents obtained by 9 Investigates suggest high-ranking school officials, including Whittaker, knew from where the money was coming.

UCF misspent $38 million. That much is clear.

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The original Colbourn Hall was crumbling and needed to go. That, too, is clear.

But who knew that the university was spending the wrong money to replace the building, and when?

Documents obtained by 9 Investigates indicate board member Marcos Marchena knew in 2015.

A transcript shows a conversation in which the money was discussed.

Marchena resigned last week.

Whittaker offered his resignation Tuesday.

Emails indicate he had detailed information about the building since 2016.

"Does the public know the full involvement of Dale Whittaker?" 9 Investigates' Christopher Heath said.

"No. I don't think the public knows or realizes the extent of his involvement in the project," said attorney Charles Greene, who represents four UCF employees who were terminated in the wake of the building scandal.

He said the employees were cut loose as the school tried to cover tracks when the state began asking questions last year.

"He's left innocent victims in his wake, and that's the people I represent. That's pertinent now," Greene said.

Additional emails show Whittaker and other officials knew of the increasing cost of replacing Colbourn Hall.

But there's no more -- there were sealed depositions given by the terminated employees to a legislative ethics committee.

The committee suddenly canceled its Monday meeting, one day before Whittaker's resignation.

"Does the existence of these depositions explain why we saw the meeting canceled and the sudden resignation?" Heath said.

"I think they will," Greene said.

UCF provided 9 Investigates with the following statement:

"A thorough, independent report outlined the reasons for the personnel decisions. Based on this report, President Whittaker took action."

Marchena told 9 Investigates that he and the board knew only of the cost of the building, not the exact funding sources.

Cox Media Group