Sixth defendant in scuba fraud investigation admits filing false claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, November 14, 2022 Sixth defendant in scuba fraud investigation admits filing false claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs Dive school official caused more [...]
Justice Department Announces Enforcement Action Involving Over $100 Million in Losses to Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, September 16, 2022 Justice Department Announces Enforcement Action Involving Over $100 Million in Losses to Department of Veterans Affairs The Department of Justice announced [...]
Department of Justice: Universal Helicopters Inc. and Dodge City Community College Agree to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Post-9/11 GI Bill Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 15, 2022 Universal Helicopters Inc. and Dodge City Community College Agree to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Post-9/11 GI Bill Funding Universal Helicopters Inc. [...]
CBS News: Lender charged 200% interest to military families for pawn loans, CFPB says
U.S. military families are being socked with annual interest rates sometimes exceeding 200% on pawn loans they've taken out from a Texas company, a violation of a federal law that caps how much lenders can [...]
Military Times: Feds Threaten Big Fines Against For-Profits Schools That Dupe Troops, Veterans
“Up until today, veterans and service members have been seen as a gravy train for some of the worst schools in America, exploiting grandiose marketing schemes and even outright lies to keep investors happy,” said [...]
Minnesota’s Attorney General’s Office: Former MSB/Globe Students to Finally Receive Nearly $24M in Debt Forgiveness, $16M in Restitution for Fraud
"Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that $23.6 million in debt relief has now finally been approved for former students of Minnesota School of Business (MSB) and Globe University (Globe) and that $15.8 million [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General Secures Nearly $300,000 for Students of Online For-profit School
For Immediate Release July 2, 2021 AG HEALEY SECURES NEARLY $300,000 FOR STUDENTS OF ONLINE FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL Settlement Provides Payments for Certain Former Ashford University Students and Resolves Allegations that School Charged Excessive Fees and [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Department of Education Cancels Loans for ITT Tech Students
"Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success -- an advocacy group that provided evidence to the department to aid in its decision -- applauded its decision in a release. “'So many veterans came to [...]
Washington Post: Biden Administration Delivers Debt Relief to Some Former ITT Tech Students
“The Education Department said that evidence, along with findings from advocacy group Veterans Education Success, serves as the basis for the approvals. "'So many veterans came to us about how ITT Tech cheated them,' said [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans Education Success Applauds Department of Education’s $500 Million in Loan Relief to 18,000 Borrowers Scammed by ITT Technical Institute
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 June 16, 2021 Veterans Education Success Applauds Department of Education’s $500 Million in Loan Relief to 18,000 Borrowers Scammed by ITT Technical Institute The Department [...]
FTC Sends Nearly $30 Million in Refunds to People Tricked into Enrolling by School Operator’s Lead Generators
June 9, 2021 U.S. Federal Trade Commission For Release Career Education Corporation refund distribution, averaging more than $3,700 per person, is the largest per person average in agency’s history The Federal Trade Commission is sending [...]
For-Profit Trade School Owner Guilty of Defrauding Veterans
April 19, 2021 - The U.S. Department of Justice announced that the owner of for-profit trade school Retail Ready was convicted of defrauding student veterans. Jonathan Dean Davis ran an HVAC training course and collected [...]
Bloomberg: Ex-Temple Business Dean Cheated for Prized Rank, U.S. Says
The former dean of Temple University’s business school fed false data to U.S. News & World Report for years to inflate the school’s ranking and attract students, federal prosecutors alleged, in their latest crackdown involving higher education. Read [...]
Republic Report: Independence University Operator Seeks To Conceal Record of Trial It Lost
"An additional brief supporting the AG office position was filed last week by lawyers representing Debbi Potts, a former CEHE employee who blew the whistle on the company to Colorado authorities; Nannette Wride and Katie [...]
Massachusetts AG Settles with PHEAA Following Allegations of Unfair and Deceptive Practices
February 10, 2021 AG HEALEY SECURES FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RELIEF IN SETTLEMENT WITH MAJOR STUDENT LOAN SERVICER Resolves Claims that PHEAA Made Errors and Misrepresentations in Administering Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program; More than 200,000 Massachusetts Borrowers [...]
Maryland Wins $2.6 Million in Loan Forgiveness for Brightwood College Students
November 16, 2020 - The Maryland Attorney General reached a settlement with Brightwood College to provide loan relief to Maryland students. Any loans owed directly to the school by Maryland students will be cancelled and, [...]
Great News for Veterans Cheated By Their School! “Borrower Defense” Applicants Get a Win in Court
November 23, 2020 For information: Call (202) 838-5050 Great news for veterans who were cheated or misled by their school! The U.S. Education Department has voluntarily agreed to stop denying "borrower defense" applications from students [...]
FTC Online Tool on Consumer Complaint Data by Military and Veterans
July 13, 2020 U.S. Federal Trade Commission For Release The Federal Trade Commission launched a new tool that explores data about problems military consumers may experience in the marketplace. For the first time, data about [...]
Stars & Stripes: VA to Suspend Some GI Bill Enrollments, Holding Back More Than $200 Million from ‘Deceptive’ Universities
“We’re grateful VA intends to suspend enrollment of new GI Bill students at these institutions. This sends a powerful message, one we’ve been advocating for VA to exercise since 2012, that the federal government and [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Praises Decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to Suspend New GI Bill Students from Enrolling at the University of Phoenix, Career Education Corporation Institutions, Bellevue University, and Temple University
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 Tanya Ang | Vice President (202) 838-5050 March 9, 2020 Veterans Education Success Praises Decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to Suspend New [...]
Politico: VA Plans to Suspend GI Bill Funding for New Students at 5 Universities
“'We’re grateful VA intends to suspend enrollment of new GI Bill students at these institutions,' said Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success, who previously led investigations into the for-profit education industry in the [...]
Federal Court Denies Ashford University’s Lawsuit against VA
Decision of the US Federal Circuit Court to Dismiss Ashford University's Lawsuit against VA (Decided: March 3, 2020) Ashford petitions this court for review, contending that the Cure Letter “announces” new “rules” and that 38 [...]
Law Enforcement Actions Against Predatory Colleges
This document summarizes government actions against predatory colleges, providing links to the government actions. If you are aware of a law enforcement action or private lawsuit that is not listed, please email us at [email protected]. [...]
Federal Judge Orders Owner of Dog Training School to Forfeit Assets from Fraud Scheme against GI Bill Benefits
"A federal judge ordered 48-year-old Bradley Lane Croft, owner of Universal K-9, Inc., to forfeit over one million dollars in assets derived from his scheme to defraud the federal government with respect to the use [...]
One of our college whistleblowers, Eric Dean, a former Ashford University admissions rep, spoke at a press conference to announce the legislation
One of our college whistleblowers, Eric Dean, a former Ashford University admissions rep, spoke at a press conference to announce legislation https://twitter.com/GIBillRights/status/1100823267210870785
U.S. Department of Justice prosecutes 4 VA employees for receiving bribes from 3 for-profit colleges in exchange for steering disabled veterans and $2M in Voc Rehab funds to the schools
WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official pled guilty today to demanding and receiving bribes from three for-profit schools in exchange for enrolling disabled military veterans in those schools and facilitating [...]
Courtroom hearing on Colorado Attorney General’s Lawsuit against Stevens-Henager College America for defrauding students
This is an action brought by the state of Colorado pursuant to Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
Inside Higher Ed: FTC Shuts Down Scam Military Websites
The Federal Trade Commission has reached agreements to shut down several copycat military websites that targeted people looking to join the armed services and then used their personal information to market for-profit colleges, the commission [...]
Federal Trade Commission shuts down predatory fake military websites (Army.com, Air-Force.com, NavyEnlist.com, and ArmyEnlist.com)
The operators of copycat websites army.com and navyenlist.com have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they targeted people seeking to join the armed forces and tricked them by falsely claiming to be affiliated [...]
American Military University settles lawsuit with Massachusetts Attorney General, paying $270,000 for high pressure enrollment tactics and failure to disclose graduates’ job prospects
BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey today announced a settlement with an online for-profit school over allegations that the school violated Massachusetts law by failing to make mandated disclosures to prospective students about job placement [...]
DeVry students in Texas sue DeVry based on FTC’s findings of deceptions about job placement
This lawsuit seeks damages from Defendants for violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act (“DTPA”), fraud, negligent misrepresentations, and restitution for unjust enrichment against Defendants ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION, INC., and DEVRY UNIVERSITY INC. Defendants [...]
California Attorney General Secures $67 Million in Debt Relief for Defrauded Former Corinthian Students in California
SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced a settlement with Balboa Student Loan Trust (Balboa) that will provide $67 million in critical debt forgiveness and other much-needed relief for the 34,971 Californians who [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General announces settlement with New England College of Business and Finance
BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey today announced a settlement with a for-profit online college based in Boston over allegations of failing to make proper disclosures of its programs for prospective students and engaging in [...]
New York Attorney General announces settlement with Trump University for defrauding students
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released the following statement: "Today's approval of the Trump University class action settlement by the Ninth Circuit means that victims of Donald Trump’s fraudulent university will soon receive [...]
FTC Approves Final Consent Order in Victory Media Advertising Case
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final order settling charges that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools to [...]
State Attorney Generals sue US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for withholding student loan debt relief to defrauded Corinthian students
SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and its Secretary, Betsy DeVos, for refusing to process debt relief claims submitted by tens of thousands of students [...]
Public Comments | Victory Media, “Gi Jobs” and “Military Friendly” Settlement
The Federal Trade Commission and Victory Media, Inc. have reached a proposed administrative consent agreement resolving allegations that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools [...]
California Attorney General Sues Ashford University For Defrauding and Deceiving Students
SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced that he is suing Ashford University, an online for-profit school based in San Diego, and its parent company Bridgepoint Education for engaging in unlawful business [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General announces restitution for students deceived by unlicensed for-profit nursing school Hosanna College of Health, Inc. and school permanently barred from Massachusetts
BOSTON — A for-profit nursing school must pay restitution and is permanently barred from holding classes in Massachusetts after operating without a license and misrepresenting its training programs to dozens of local students, Attorney General [...]
Federal Trade Commission announces lawsuit and settlement terms with Victory Media/GI Jobs/Military Friendly
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final order settling charges that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools to [...]
Kentucky Attorney General announces final approval of sanctions against National University (aka American National University of Kentucky) for defrauding students and failing to comply with state subpoena
FRANKFORT, KY. (Oct. 19, 2017) – Attorney General Andy Beshear today announced that his office has won the final appeal in a case requiring American National University of Kentucky to pay $147,000 in civil monetary [...]
US Attorneys Office, District of New Jersey, announces $24 million GI Bill scam by Ed4Mil website and Caldwell University
NEWARK, N.J. – Two women today admitted their roles in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained over $24 million from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, a federal education benefits program designed to help veterans who served in [...]
New York Attorney General Announces $375,000 Settlement With Flatiron Computer Coding School For Operating Without A License And For Its Employment And Salary Claims
NEW YORK--Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a $375,000 settlement with Flatiron School, Inc. (“Flatiron”), a New York city-based coding school that operated without a license from the New York State Education Department (“SED”) [...]
Mercury News: Thousands of Former Corinthian Colleges Students Win Debt Relief: Californians Will Get Some $51 Million in Debt Relief
Approximately 13,000 Californians who attended now-defunct Corinthian Colleges will see some $51 million in debt relief as part of a settlement finalized Monday between the private equity firm Aequitas Capital Management and the state’s attorney general, [...]
Albany Times Union: DeVry Students to Get $2,800 Each
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that hundreds of students will receive restitution following the Attorney General’s investigation into DeVry Education Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries DeVry University, Inc. and DeVry/New York, Inc. (collectively, [...]
Attorneys General of several states announce $192 million in restitution for Corinthian students
BALTIMORE, MD (August 17, 2017) –Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, in coordination with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) and a coalition of 12 other state attorneys general, announced today a tentative settlement with [...]
NY Daily News: DeVry University to pay $2.75M in deal with N.Y. attorney general for false ads on success of its graduates
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has reached a $2.75 million settlement with for-profit college DeVry University over misleading advertisements. Under the terms of the agreement revealed by Schneiderman on Monday, DeVry will pay $2.25 million [...]
Minnesota Attorney General announces court order awarding injunction, penalties, and restitution to students defrauded by Minnesota School of Business and Globe University
Attorney General Lori Swanson Obtains Court Order Awarding Injunction, Penalties, and Restitution for Minnesota School of Business and Globe University Fraudulently Misrepresenting the Job Opportunities Available to their Criminal Justice Graduates. On September 8, 2016, [...]
Federal Trade Commission Announces $100 Million Settlement with DeVry University for False Job Placement Claims
DeVry University and its parent company have agreed to a $100 million settlement of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit alleging that they misled prospective students with ads that touted high employment success rates and income [...]
Kentucky Attorney General announces $1.2 million in restitution for students defrauded by Daymar College
FRANKFORT, KY. (Dec. 14, 2016) – Attorney General Andy Beshear today announced nearly 3,500 former students of Daymar College’s Kentucky campuses and online programs will this week begin receiving restitution checks totaling $1.2 million. The [...]
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Settlements Totaling $4.29 Million With For-Profit School And Its Former Chief Operating Officer
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Brian Hickey, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education (“USDOE”), Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Region (“OIG”), announced [...]
U.S. Investigates Bridgepoint Over Its Use of Federal Student Aid
Bridgepoint Education Inc., the for-profit owner of Ashford University, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice over claims that it “may have misstated Title IV refund revenue or overstated revenue associated with private [...]
State Attorneys General Urge Greater Protections for Veterans Affected By Predatory For-Profit Schools
Dear Secretary McDonald: We, the undersigned Attorneys General, write to urge you to exercise the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (“VA’s”) authority under federal law to restore the educational and vocational rehabilitation benefits that thousands of [...]
FTC Files Suit Against DeVry University for Deceptive Recruiting
Defendant DeVry Education Group Inc. (DEG) is a publicly traded Delaware corporation with its principal place of business at 3005 Highland Parkway, Downers Grove, Illinois. DEG was formerly known as DeVry Inc. DEG transacts or [...]
UPI: For-profit college must pay $200M to forgive loans, pay settlement
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The for-profit college operator Education Management Corporation agreed to pay nearly $200 million to forgive student loans and resolve federal fraud claims in deals that have been lauded as "unprecedented" [...]
Department of Defense Suspends University of Phoenix for Violations of Defense Department Rules on Recruiting Service Members
It has come to our attention that the University of Phoenix is under review by both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the California State Attorney General. University of Phoenix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary [...]
Justice Department Settles with Education Affiliates’ Fortis College and other Brands over False Claims
Education Affiliates (EA), a for-profit education company based in White Marsh, Maryland, has agreed to pay $13 million to the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false [...]
FTC Settles with Ashworth College over Misleading Recruiting Methods
Ashworth College has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges it misrepresented to students that they would get the training and credentials needed to switch careers or get a new job, and that the course [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General Settles with Premier Education Group’s Salter College over Misleading Recruiting Practices
BOSTON – A for-profit school will pay students $3.75 million to resolve allegations of misrepresenting job placement numbers and using deceptive enrollment tactics, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today. A total of $3.5 million will [...]
CFPB Sues For-Profit Corinthian Colleges for Predatory Lending
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued for-profit college chain Corinthian Colleges, Inc. for its illegal predatory lending scheme. The Bureau alleges that Corinthian lured tens of thousands of students to [...]
NYT: Corinthian College Shut Down by Education Department. Had claimed to be Pentagon-approved
Facing heavy losses and a crackdown by government agencies, Corinthian Colleges, one of the largest for-profit operators of trade schools and colleges, will largely cease operating under an agreement with the federal Education Department.
City Attorney of San Francisco Settles with EDMC’s Art Institutes over Use of Illegal Marketing Practices
The California Art Institute, a for-profit school with campuses up and down the state, will offer scholarships and tighten its student-recruitment practices in a $4.4 million settlement between the school's parent company and San Francisco, [...]
Florida Attorney General Settles with Kaplan over Misleading Recruiting Practices
PURSUANT to the provisions of Chapter 501, Part II of the Florida Statutes, Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS (hereinafter referred to as the [...]
Iowa Attorney General Settles with Bridgepoint’s Ashford College over Misleading Recruiting Practices
(DES MOINES, Iowa) Ashford University and San Diego-based parent company Bridgepoint Education Inc. have agreed to a $7.25 million dollar payment and are required to change certain recruitment and enrollment practices after Attorney General Tom [...]
CFPB Sues For-Profit College Chain ITT For Predatory Lending
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against ITT Educational Services, Inc., accusing the for-profit college chain of predatory student lending. The CFPB alleges that ITT exploited its students [...]
New Mexico Attorney General Sues ITT Technical Institute for Nursing Program
This action seeks to redress on behalf of the public in New Mexico unlawful business practices by Defendant ITT Educational Services, Inc. d/b/a ITT Technical Institute. Defendant, in the course of operating a for-profit education [...]
Denver Post: Argosy University Denver fined $3.3 million for deceptive practices
Argosy University Denver, a for-profit school, will pay $3.3 million in restitution and fines for engaging in deceptive marketing practices, the Colorado attorney general’s office said Thursday. “Our investigation revealed a pattern of Argosy recklessly [...]
California Attorney General Files Suit in Alleged For-Profit College Predatory Scheme that Included Inappropriately Using Military Seals
SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today filed a lawsuit against Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (CCI) and its subsidiaries that operate Everest, Heald and WyoTech colleges for false and predatory advertising, intentional misrepresentations to [...]
New York Attorney General Announces $10.25 Million Dollar Settlement With For-Profit Education Company That Inflated Job Placement Rates To Attract Students
NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a $10.25 million settlement with Career Education Corporation (“CEC”), a for-profit education company. The settlement resolves an investigation that revealed that in disclosures made to [...]
Justice Department Settles with ATI over Misleading Recruiting Practices
ATI Enterprises Inc. will pay the government $3.7 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it falsely certified compliance with federal student aid programs’ eligibility requirements and submitted claims for ineligible students, the Justice [...]
SEC: GiBill.Com | Full Legal Settlement, QuinStreet
This Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (“AVC”) is entered into by the Attorneys General of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, [...]
States’ Attorneys General Action A Victory for Veterans and the GI Bill
WASHINGTON – Officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs applauded a decision by the attorneys general of several states to give VA the rights to use the GIBill.Com website, after the website’s original owners QuinStreet [...]
Kentucky Attorney General Announces Win for Veterans against Predatory Practices
Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced today that QuinStreet, Inc. will turn over the website GIBill.com to the Department of Veterans Affairs and pay $2.5 million to the states involved as part of a consumer [...]
Veterans Affairs: After Court Settlement, VA Takes Over GIBill.com and Other Sites
In a legal win for Veterans, VA is taking control of the formerly privately-owned website GIBill.com. This means Veterans will be better protected against deceptive marketing practices launched by businesses eager to cash in on [...]
WBTV: GIBill.com to stop misleading veterans, service members
Raleigh, NC - GIBill.com, an official-looking website that steered military veterans to expensive for-profit schools, will turn its site over to the Department of Veterans Affairs and pay $2.5 million to North Carolina and 19 [...]
Colorado Attorney General Announces $4.5 Million Settlement with Westwood College to Address Deceptive Business Practices
DENVER — Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced today the state has reached an agreement with Westwood College, Inc. to address allegations that the institution violated the Consumer Protection Act by misleading prospective students, engaging [...]