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Louisiana Man Charged with Conspiring to Commit Student Aid Fraud, Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison

Published February 15, 2022

Louisiana – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Robert John, age 46, from St. Bernard, Louisiana, was indicted on February 11, 2022, for conspiring to commit student aid fraud.

The indictment charged John with one count of conspiracy to submit fraudulent applications for student loans and grants to two local community colleges under the names of seven different applicants. According to the indictment, the Department of Education paid more than $74,000 in loan and grant funds as a result of the fraudulent applications. All applicants’ applications contained false information, and a few of them did not even qualify for community college because they had not completed high school or obtained GEDs.

If found guilty, John faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or the gross loss to any victims, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.

The work of the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service was lauded by U.S. Attorney Evans. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.