Lake City Residents Plead Guilty to
Education Loan Fraud
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, entered
a guilty plea in federal court in Florence 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 accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he
has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
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 codefendants.
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.
Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty each defendant can receive is a fine of
$250,000.00 and/or imprisonment for 5 years, plus a special assessment of $100.00.
The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Education and the United
States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence
office handled the case.
