The Trump Justice Department is going after the fraudsters stealing student aid from American taxpayers. “Today, we are announcing charges against five defendants and the seizure of more than $750,000 in cryptocurrency tied to this scheme and laundered through a network associated with Kenyan nationals,” said Colin McDonald of the DOJ’s Fraud Section. “This is the first international seizure of its kind in Kenya.”
In Nebraska, a grand jury indicted Kenyan national Francis Magambi on charges of theft of government money and aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, he allegedly worked with associates in Kenya to steal U.S. identities, enroll the victims as students, redirect federal aid payments, keep a share for himself and send the rest to co-conspirators in Kenya.
In New Jersey, four people are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors say they acted as money mules in a scheme involving hundreds of ghost students and more than $1.3 million, with money sent overseas, including to people connected to a Kenya-based safari business used as a cover.
The administration is moving to stop the bleeding too. “We are also acting urgently with Secretary McMahon and the Department of Education to identify and shut off fraudulent accounts to stop this money from going to the fraudsters,” McDonald said.
Under President Trump, taxpayer money is for Americans, not for foreign fraud rings. Charges are allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
