RALEIGH — A prosecutor says he is considering whether to drop a felony fraud charge against a former University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor embroiled in a scandal involving academics and athletics.

Orange County district attorney Jim Woodall says Julius Nyang’oro has cooperated with a probe led by former U.S. Justice Department official Kenneth Wainstein. Wainstein is looking into the causes of fraud in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department, where Nyang’oro was chairman.

Nyang’oro was charged with being paid to teach a 2011 lecture class filled with football players that did not meet and required only a research paper.

Woodall’s comments were first reported by The News and Observer. He told The Associated Press his decision could come within the week.