Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to in Connection with Student Aid Fraud of Over $74,000

Louisiana – On October 6, 2022, U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Robert John, age 46, from St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, pled guilty to conspiring to commit student aid fraud.

According to court filings, John and others conspired to submit bogus student loan and grant applications to two local community colleges, using the names of seven different applicants. The Department of Education paid out approximately $74,000 in loan and grant funding as a result of the false applications. All applicants’ applications contained incorrect information, and several candidates did not even qualify for community college because they had not completed high school or obtained GEDs.

John faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine or double the gross gain or loss to any victims, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per offense. As part of the plea deal, John agreed to pay the Department of Education $74,576.10 in restitution. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 11, 2023, by Judge Lance M. Africk.

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.