Education Loan Fraud Offenders Sentenced
Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Rubin Taylor, age 24, and Mary Taylor, age 28, both of Lake City, South Carolina, were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and education loan fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence sentenced Rubin TAYLOR to fifteen months imprisonment and three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $25,919.60 in restitution, and Mary TAYLOR to six months imprisonment and three years probation with the first eight months to be under home detention with electronic monitoring. Mary Taylor was also ordered to pay restitution, in the amount of $62,336.00
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that the Taylors made an agreement between themselves and enlisted the aid of their ten co-defendants, and others, to enroll at online schools to make it appear they would be attending classes. Federal applications for student aid were submitted on behalf of the Taylors and their co-defendants. Federal financial aid was awarded to the Taylors and others and sent to their schools, with the excess funds being sent to the Taylors and others. The Taylors obtained personal information from others so that they could be enrolled in school with the purpose of receiving money. This resulted in losses of approximately $100,000.00.
