Student Union
2 Former College Students Face Identity Theft Charges Over COVID-19 Aid
Two former Louisiana college students were charged with conspiring to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds that had been earmarked for college students.
Late last month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said the two conspired to defraud students from Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana, by hacking the college portal to apply for financial aid grants using the names of other students.
Hayden Philip Breaux, 21, and D’Quincy Marquis Jones, 23, both of Louisiana, allegedly used student identification numbers and passwords to apply for emergency financial aid grants, according to a March 25 press release.
They were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and five counts of identity theft.
The pair allegedly directed payments toward their own bank accounts between June 5 and June 20, 2020, according to the DOJ statement.
Louisiana College received the emergency funds through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Passed by Congress in March 2020, the CARES Act allocated $2.2 trillion in stimulus funds to provide economic assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Louisiana College has and will continue to cooperate fully with the federal investigation,” Elizabeth Clarke, Louisiana College communications director, said in the press release. “Once college officials discovered possible fraudulent activity by grant recipients in June 2020, we immediately notified law enforcement officials and an investigation ensued.”
The statement said neither Breaux nor Jones is a current Louisiana College student.
See all News Updates of the Day
Student dilemma: Financial aid applications can expose undocumented parents
Many students in the U.S. rely on financial aid to attend colleges and universities, but as Julia Barajas reports in LAist.com, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid could cause a dilemma for students with an undocumented parent.
If students fill out the application, they will share their parents’ financial information – and potentially raise questions about their immigration status -- with the federal government. If they don’t fill out the application, they won’t get federal financial aid. (December 2024)
FDA: College students using ‘honey packets’ to enhance sex put themselves at risk
With TikTok videos promoting “honey packets,” the supplements marketed as sexual enhancements have become popular on college campuses.
But as Charles Trepany reports in USA Today, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that ingredients in the supplements could be potentially dangerous. (November 2024)
Some universities encourage Chinese students to return before inauguration
Some colleges and universities are encouraging international students to return to the United States – or stay in the country over winter break – to make sure any White House travel restrictions don’t impede their return, the South China Morning Post reports.
Chinese students in the United States have expressed concerns about being allowed back in the country after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Trump has promised sweeping immigration reforms and mass deportations. (December 2024)
Seven charged in social media drug ring at Rutgers University
An undercover narcotics investigation at Rutgers University in New Jersey led to the arrest of seven people, NBC News reported.
Investigators say they found large amounts of marijuana, LSD, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, Adderall and Xanax. The drugs were offered on a menu circulated on a private social network of individuals affiliated with school, authorities said. (December 2024)
- By VOA News
Mentors can be valuable aid for international students
Mentors can be a key asset for college and university students, particularly when the student comes from a foreign country.
This article from U.S. News & World Report explains why. (November 2024)
