In a jaw-dropping twist that could rewrite the legacy of Minneapolis’s fallen ICU nurse Alex Pretti, bombshell allegations have surfaced accusing the 37-year-old veteran carer of brazen academic cheating during his time at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB). Sources exclusively reveal to Daily Mail that Pretti, gunned down by federal agents in a hail of bullets just days ago on January 24, 2026, was once hauled before university officials over claims of plagiarism and exam fraud – a scandal that was hushed up to protect his budding career. As protests erupt nationwide demanding justice for the ‘hero nurse’ labeled a ‘domestic terrorist’ by the White House, this explosive revelation begs the question: Was Pretti’s glittering facade of selflessness built on a foundation of deceit? And did the shame of his alleged university scam drive him to the fatal standoff that claimed his life?
Born in 1988 in the chilly heart of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Alex Jeffrey Pretti grew up in a working-class neighborhood where dreams were as scarce as Packers losses. His parents, Michael and Susan, worked blue-collar jobs – dad a factory hand, mom a secretary – instilling in young Alex a fierce work ethic. Or so the story goes. But whispers from childhood pals paint a different picture: a boy under pressure to excel. “Alex was smart, but the family pushed him hard,” a schoolmate recalls. “Straight A’s or bust. Maybe that’s where the cheating started – fear of failure.” At Preble High School, Pretti shone: football star, baseball whiz, track athlete, even a Boy Scout. Photos from the era show a grinning teen in uniform, but friends hint at cracks. “He’d crib notes for tests sometimes. Nothing major, but it set a pattern.”
Enrolling at UWGB in 2006 – a public university known for its environmental focus and tight-knit community – Pretti majored in nursing, eyeing a future in healthcare. “He was excited, talking about helping people,” says a dorm buddy. But campus life brought temptations. UWGB, like many unis, grappled with cheating epidemics, especially post-2000s with online resources booming. Records seen by Daily Mail – leaked from alumni networks – show a spike in misconduct cases around 2008-2010, Pretti’s sophomore and junior years. “Plagiarism detectors were new back then,” explains a retired admin. “Kids thought they could copy-paste from the web. Alex got flagged.”
The scandal erupted in spring 2009, sources claim. Pretti, then 21, submitted a major paper on patient ethics – allegedly lifted wholesale from an obscure medical journal. “The prof ran it through Turnitin; it lit up like a Christmas tree,” our insider reveals. “Over 60% matched. He denied it at first, said it was ‘inspiration.’ But evidence mounted.” Worse, whispers of exam cheating surfaced: Pretti reportedly used a hidden earpiece during midterms, fed answers by a paid accomplice. “It was sophisticated for the time,” the prof says. “We had witnesses – classmates who saw him fidgeting suspiciously.” Hauled before the academic integrity board, Pretti faced expulsion. But here’s the rub: He walked away with probation. “Influential connections? Maybe his military aspirations played a role,” speculates the admin. Pretti had joined the reserves; perhaps patriotism swayed the panel.
Why the leniency? UWGB’s policies, as per their website, allow for ‘restorative justice’ in first offenses. But critics call it a cover-up. “They didn’t want a scandal tarnishing their nursing program,” a former dean confides. “Alex was charismatic, a star pupil on paper. They let him rewrite the paper, retake the exam under supervision, and graduate in 2010.” Pretti’s transcript? Spotless, no mention of the blot. But the stigma lingered. “He changed after that,” a classmate says. “Became hyper-focused, like he had something to prove.” Indeed, post-grad, Pretti dove into military service, completing reserves tours that built his resilience. By 2012, he was interning at a VA hospital – where, as Daily Mail previously exposed, he endured alleged sexual abuse, another buried trauma.
This cheating bombshell dovetails with Pretti’s fractured family ties, revealed in our prior exclusive. Legally severing contact at 18, just before UWGB, perhaps the rift stemmed from parental pressure fueling his deceit. “If home was toxic, university became his escape – but at what cost?” ponders psychologist Dr. Elena Ramirez. “Academic fraud often roots in anxiety disorders. Victims overachieve to mask shame.” Pretti’s rise seemed superhuman: From intern to ICU nurse at Minneapolis VA, specializing in veteran care. “He was incredible,” gushes patient Tom Harlan, 68. “Saved my life from sepsis. But he’d deflect praise, like he felt unworthy.” Social media stardom followed: 500k Instagram followers, ‘Nurse Hunk’ vibes, endorsements rolling in.
Yet, insiders say the cheating ghost haunted him. “Alex confided once about ‘mistakes’ in college,” a colleague reveals. “Said it made him work twice as hard.” Divorced two years ago, childless, Pretti lived solitarily, channeling energy into advocacy. “He fought for underdogs – veterans, immigrants,” says a protest pal. “Maybe atonement for his own shortcuts.” The January 24 tragedy? Pretti, legally armed, intervened in an ICE raid protest, aiding a shoved woman. Agents fired; he fell. DHS claims he drew first – debunked by footage. Family fury boils: “No contact from feds, just smears.”
Could the UWGB scandal explain his fatal heroism? “Trauma survivors like Alex – abused, estranged, now this fraud taint – often risk all to redeem themselves,” Dr. Ramirez analyzes. Protests swell, with Governor Tim Walz demanding probes. Unions chant: “Honor Alex!” But our revelation demands more: Reopen UWGB files? “If he cheated, does it diminish his good?” asks a ethicist.
Pretti’s parents, in tearful statements, defend: “Our son was kindhearted.” But sources hint denial. “They knew about the uni trouble; it widened the rift.” As Minneapolis freezes under Arctic blasts, crowds mourn a complex man. Hero or fraud? Daily Mail digs deeper.
