A former Texas Southern University adjunct professor will serve 78 months in federal prison for a student financial aid fraud scheme that obtained more than $921,000 and left victims with debt in their names, federal prosecutors announced Friday.
Emmanuel Olugbaike Finnih, 43, of Richmond, is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Nigeria. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen imposed the prison sentence and three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said in a news release.
Finnih pleaded guilty March 20 to theft of government funds, fraud, unlawful use or transfer of identity documents, and aggravated identity theft.
More than 100 fraudulent applications
Finnih submitted more than 100 fraudulent financial aid applications over approximately five years using other people’s identities at colleges and universities across Texas, prosecutors said.
He sought more than $1.3 million in federal grants and loans, and the scheme resulted in $921,189.08 in disbursements.
Finnih used other people’s personal information to complete and sign aid applications and master promissory notes. He controlled the mailing addresses, phone numbers and email accounts that received communications from schools and the Department of Education, prosecutors said.
He then collected financial aid refunds through electronic transfers, checks and prepaid debit cards sent to addresses or accounts he controlled.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Treasury Department warned in July that fraud rings use stolen or fabricated identities to enroll at schools and collect federal student aid.
Victims left with debt
Finnih admitted repeatedly using two victims’ personal information over several years to obtain federal aid. The scheme left some victims with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, damaged their credit and hindered legitimate school enrollment, prosecutors said.
The court also heard that Finnih changed female straw students’ names to masculine names while retaining their correct Social Security numbers and birth dates, making it easier to impersonate them.
Investigators found false identity documents, including temporary driver permits and identification cards, that Finnih intended to unlawfully use or transfer as part of the scheme, prosecutors said.
“Higher education costs are already skyrocketing out of control, and it’s scammers like Finnih who make it worse, more expensive, and financially damaging for everyone,” U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz said in the release. “This fraudster will now suffer the consequences of his manipulative, deceitful, un-American crimes.”
Federal investigation
The Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General investigated with assistance from the Lone Star College Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad R. Gray prosecuted the case.
“We will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own selfish purposes,” Scott Wingle, acting special agent in charge of the Education Department OIG’s Central Regional Office, said in the release.
The court allowed Finnih to remain on bond until he voluntarily surrenders to a federal prison that authorities will designate later.
