The Office for Access and Equity at the University of Illinois at Chicago found no evidence of violation of UIC’s Sexual Misconduct Policy or the school’s Non-Discrimination Statement in its investigation into complaints by a Cure Violence employee.
Cure Violence is a public health anti-violence program founded at UIC.
As reported by ChicagoTalks in November, 2018, employee Angalia Bianca alleged that Cure Violence Deputy Director Ricardo “Cobe” Williams forced oral sex on her in 2014 and discriminated against her for her race and gender when considering raises or promotions. The Office for Access and Equity found these allegations to be false, according to the April 8 investigation report made available to ChicagoTalks by Williams’ private counsel, Tom Rosenwein.
“OAE finds that [Williams] did not subject [Bianca] to unwelcome or unwanted sexual conduct and did not violate the Sexual Misconduct Policy,” the report stated.
According to witnesses referenced in the report, Bianca gave inconsistent statements on the actions of Williams, who has denied all allegations. The report stated that numerous witnesses said “they did not know whether they believed [Bianca] then, or now … including two who outright accused [her] of lying.”
Bianca published a book in 2018 titled “In Deep: How I Survived Gangs, Heroin, and Prison to Become a Chicago Violence Interrupter” detailing her life as a “criminal, a master manipulator, and a brilliant con artist,” according to a description on Amazon.com.
Witnesses referenced in the report said Bianca was extremely upset by Williams’ promotion to deputy director and may have made false claims — and encouraged others to make false claims on her behalf — because of her resentment against him.
The report, signed by UIC Title IX coordinator Michael S. Diaz, recommended Bianca and Williams avoiding contact and remaining in separate reporting structures. UIC’s policy does not allow either party the option to appeal the investigation’s findings.