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Treasury identifies $270 million in federal student aid programs it ties to possible fraud
Just the News ^ | 10/19/26 | Kevin Killough

Posted on 10/19/2026 10:54:54 AM PDT by CFW

The Treasury Department identified approximately $270 million potentially linked to fraudulent activity involving federal student aid programs.

Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has referred the findings to federal investigators for further review, Fox News reported.

In July, FinCEN issued alerts to financial institutions warning about possible fraud schemes involving federal student aid refunds. Schools and payment contractors regularly issue student aid refunds electronically. Criminals may move stolen aid through money mules, shell companies and fraudulent bank accounts, the alert explained.

Many of the schemes involve fraudulent enrollments — called "ghost student" schemes — in which criminals use stolen personal information, including names and Social Security numbers, to enroll fake students using the stolen identities.

(Excerpt) Read more at justthenews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: democrats; fraud; studentaid; treasury
I suspect 95% of our national debt is due to fraud and corruption.
1 posted on 10/19/2026 10:54:54 AM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW

Exactly, CFW - $270 million seems rather low ...


2 posted on 10/19/2026 11:16:50 AM PDT by Ken522
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To: CFW

A quarter billion here, a quarter billion there…pretty soon, it adds up to real money.

I’m so glad our government is such a good steward of our hard-earned money.


3 posted on 10/19/2026 11:22:52 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: CFW

Too many people just ignore theft from the government.

“It didn’t affect me or my pocketbook.”

But it does.

There is the Opportunity Cost of that stolen money.

Why is it OK for people to steal from the government so they can have a yacht or plastic surgery or a new luxury car or give it to the Democrats to fund more stealing?

That money could have been used to help people in real need.

It could not have been taken from hard working American Taxpayers so that they might be able to use their own money to improve their lives.

Stealing from the government hurts you, your children, your relatives, your friends and your neighbors.

It encourages more criminal activities.

We need to start hanging thieves.

Anyone who still supports the Democrats has an evil and criminal heart, soul and mind.

Yes, even Aunt Sue and your neighbor Dave.

Yes, there are a lot of them, but they keep increasing.

These aren’t people stealing a potato to feed their family.

These are greedy, gluttonous thieves stealing to acquire luxury items that they are too lazy to work for.


4 posted on 10/19/2026 11:26:39 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
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To: CFW

Stephen Miller argued if fraud of federal monies were ended, we’d balance the federal budget JUST WITH THAT !


5 posted on 10/19/2026 11:29:31 AM PDT by Gnome1949
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To: CFW

Should it be a capital offense?


6 posted on 10/19/2026 11:53:18 AM PDT by abigkahuna
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To: abigkahuna
I have encountered people who repeatedly enroll in an expensive private school, take out a federally guaranteed student loan that is disbursed to the school, and then drop out in the first or second week of the semester. The school refunds ~95% of the amount paid, to the "student" , who then lives off the proceeds. Rinse, repeat the next semester. Ad infinitum.

One person in Tampa who was repeatedly doing this was 65 years old and had no objective program or degree he was pursuing; he just needed the income. I suspect that while the rest of us are wondering how they are going to pay it back (so the taxpayers do not have to), the "borrower" never has any intent to pay it back. And the fellow in this Tampa example will leave no estate from which the Feds could make a recovery.

7 posted on 10/19/2026 12:14:42 PM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: CFW
You don't say.

Shocked-Shocked

8 posted on 10/19/2026 12:27:59 PM PDT by Westbrook (democRATs are wizards at two things: Finding votes and losing evidence.)
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To: CFW

I bet. When students started using student loan funds to pay all kinds of ridiculous stuff, I figured something was wrong.


9 posted on 10/19/2026 12:38:47 PM PDT by yldstrk
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To: CFW

I don’t know why the f I bothered doing things legally. I joined the coast guard. I went to college. I started a business. I paid my taxes. I employed people. And for what. Some Somali trash makes millions with a Learing center. Illegal aliens get everything free. Fat unemployed welfare qwangz squirt out another generation of qwangz and kangz and they get their whole lives supported. Pay your taxes chump.


10 posted on 10/19/2026 12:54:56 PM PDT by Organic Panic ( )
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To: CFW

Yes not many places where fraud doesn’t take place the greed for money and no rules is the name of the scam.


11 posted on 10/19/2026 1:17:49 PM PDT by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
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To: CFW

Meanwhile, SS “fund” running low in 2032 and Medicare in 2033.


12 posted on 10/19/2026 1:54:20 PM PDT by utax
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To: CFW

WTF Man, I had to pay enormous sums of money for my sons for college and people are stealing this money? This should definitely be a capital offense. They’ve stolen my money, my time, my retirement, my sons’ money and their head start.


13 posted on 10/20/2026 1:14:14 PM PDT by Family Guy (A society's first line of defense is not the law but customs, traditions and moral values. -Williams)
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To: Family Guy; utax

And even more fraud.....Patel, of course.

Just for kicks type “Patel” [your state], and “fraud” and see how many hits you get.

“Illinois lab owner charged in $66M COVID-19 testing scheme”

https://www.rockfordnewsfirst.com/2026/10/20/illinois-lab-owner-charged-66m-covid-19-testing-scheme/

“SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Rockford News First) - A man from Schaumburg is accused of a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme involving hundreds of thousands of fake COVID-19 tests, according to federal prosecutors.

Rajesh “Raj” Patel, 52, is charged with five counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.

According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Patel was the co-owner and chief operating officer of a clinical laboratory in Hillside that processed COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.”


14 posted on 10/20/2026 1:47:22 PM PDT by CFW
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To: Vaduz

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/maryland-man-convicted-187m-medicare-fraud-respiratory-testing-scheme-targeting-nursing

Maryland Man Convicted of $18.7M Medicare Fraud for Respiratory Testing Scheme Targeting Nursing Homes

“A federal jury in the District of Maryland convicted a laboratory owner yesterday for taking advantage of nursing homes that needed COVID-19 tests during the pandemic and fraudulently billing Medicare more than $18 million for other expensive respiratory tests that nursing home residents did not need, physicians did not order, and, in many cases, were never performed.”

“Patrick Britton-Harr will now face the consequences of his greed and brazen crimes. In addition to this healthcare fraud scheme, Britton-Harr was previously convicted for investment fraud in which the FBI uncovered a separate scheme where he defrauded private citizens. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not rest until fraudsters like Mr. Britton Harr are brought to justice.”


15 posted on 10/20/2026 2:14:33 PM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW

FBI uncovered a separate scheme

FBI = Gang Busters

Ice too


16 posted on 10/21/2026 5:27:18 AM PDT by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
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