Marrero Woman, Shanera Washington-sylve, Pleads Guilty To Charges Related To Financial Aid Fraud

SHANERA WASHINGTON-SYLVE, age 46, a resident of Marrero, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to one count of financial aid fraud, announced U. S. Attorney Dana J. Boente.

According to court documents, WASHINGTON-SYLVE submitted or caused to be submitted false Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) forms, on behalf of her daughter for the 2009 through 2013 academic years, falsely stating that she was “single.”  As a result of WASHINGTON-SYLVE’s false statements in the applications, her daughter fraudulently received approximately $23,196 in Federal Pell Grants from the United States Department of Education, an agency and department of the United States.

WASHINGTON-SYLVE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a $20,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.  Sentencing is set for October 24, 2013 at 2:00 PM.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Julia K. Evans.

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