Elaine M. Levidow, Wire Fraud & U.S. Department of Education Financial Aid Fraud, Florida 2017

Fort Myers, Florida – In a shocking case of deceit, Elaine M. Levidow, 60, of Fort Myers, has been charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of U.S. Department of Education financial aid fraud. The indictment, returned by a grand jury, alleges that Levidow, who owned and operated the Training Domain, a for-profit educational institution in Fort Myers, solicited students to enroll in her school and assisted them in applying for financial aid in the form of Pell Grants and Direct Student Loans.

According to the indictment, Levidow kept the FSA funds and split them with students, rather than using the loan and grant proceeds to hold classes at the Training Domain and for other educational expenses. The amount of the fraud was approximately $109,323.

The indictment also alleges that Levidow created false and fraudulent high school diplomas and GEDs for students, which she provided to an auditor even though she knew that the students had either not attended the underlying high school, had not graduated, or had not received a GED.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey F. Michelland.

Levidow faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 5 years in federal prison for the financial aid fraud count, if convicted.

Defendant Name: Elaine M. Levidow

Exact Criminal Charges: 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of U.S. Department of Education financial aid fraud

City and State: Fort Myers, Florida

Exact Date: July 2017 through April 2019 (approximate time period)

Sentence or Outcome: Pending

Dollar Amounts: $109,323

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/fort-myers-woman-indicted-wire-fraud-and-us-department-education-financial-aid-fraud