Former Bibb County Public Schools Employee Pleads Guilty To Student Loan Fraud

G.F. “Pete” Peterman, III, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces Queen Adeboyejo, age 64, of Perry, Georgia entered a guilty plea in federal court in Macon to Student Loan Fraud on March 15, 2017 before the Honorable Leslie Abrams, United States District Judge. Through her plea, Ms. Adeboyejo admitted that she obtained federal student loans fraudulently by using the personal identifying information of three individuals to file bogus endorsements necessary to obtain the loans.

Ms. Adeboyejo was pursuing her doctoral degree and was denied additional federal student aid due to her poor credit. In order to qualify for further federal student loans, it was required that she have another person sign an endorser addendum agreeing to repay her loans if she did not. Without their knowledge or consent, Ms. Adeboyejo obtained the personal identifying information (PII) of three individuals, one of whom she used to work with at the Bibb County Public Schools, and used the PII to create and submit forged endorsement addendums online. As the result of these addendums, Ms. Adeboyejo obtained $18,828.00 in federal student loans with one endorser and $75,166.00 in federal student loans with another endorser. She also attempted to obtain a total of $150,000.00 in federal student loans with another person as an endorser.

"Scams like this steal money from hardworking taxpayers and legitimate students and that is unacceptable," said Yessyka Santana, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General's Southeastern Regional Office. "The OIG is committed to fighting student financial aid fraud and we will continue to aggressively pursue those that participate in these types of crimes."

“Ms. Adeboyejo stole from the government student loan program, she stole from deserving students who were qualified to receive the money she fraudulently obtained, and she damaged the credit of those whose identities she stole to carry out her scheme,” said United States Attorney Peterman. “I commend the good work of the investigators at both the U. S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office for their fine work and cooperation in bringing Ms. Adeboyejo to justice.”

Sentencing has been scheduled for June 26, 2017 in Macon. At sentencing, Ms. Adeboyejo faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of three years. As part of her plea, Ms. Adeboyejo has also agreed to pay $123,732.18 in restitution to the United States Department of Education.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Inspector General and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office - Property Crimes Division. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Howard is handling the prosecution for the Government.

Questions concerning this case should be directed to Brittney Kish Lightsey, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2735.