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California Duo Behind Bars for Student Loan Scams
A Sacramento court has sentenced two individuals to prison for their roles in separate student loan fraud schemes.
Brent W. Wilder, 44, of Antelope, was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to commit student loan fraud. Wilder and his co-defendant, Michael J. Huddleston, 44, of Sacramento, recruited more than 50 straw students to apply for Federal Student Assistance (FSA) funds between February 2009 and April 2012.
The straw students applied for FSA at American River College, Sacramento City College, and Consumnes River College. The applications contained false statements regarding the eligibility of the applicants. For the most part, all of the students signed up by Wilder and Huddleston withdrew from classes shortly after receiving the funds or received failing grades. Wilder and Huddleston demanded approximately half of those funds for their own purposes.
Wilder has been ordered to pay $19,411 in restitution.
In a separate case, Michelle Wright, 32, of Stockton, was sentenced to 3 years in prison and 1 year of home confinement for her role in a similar conspiracy to commit student loan fraud. Wright and her co-defendants recruited straw students to sign up for college classes for the purpose of receiving financial aid funds. Some of the individuals agreed to have their identities used to commit fraud, while others had their personal information used to commit fraud without their consent.
Wright was ordered to pay $129,171 in restitution.
These cases highlight the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat student aid fraud and protect the integrity of the education system.
Defendant: Brent W. Wilder
Crime: Conspiracy to commit student loan fraud
City and State: Sacramento, California
Date: [No specific date mentioned]
Sentence: 2 years and 9 months in prison
Dollar Amount: $19,411 in restitution
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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