Former Morris Brown College Officials Charged with Fraud

Former Morris Brown College Officials Charged with Fraud
The former president and financial aid director of Morris Brown College in Atlanta have been charged with fraud, reports The Washington Post.

Dolores Cross, president from 1998 to 2002, and Parvesh Singh, her former director of financial aid, were named in a 34-count federal indictment. Allegedly, the two fraudulently obtained hundreds of federally insured loans and grants in the names of students who were not enrolled at the time and used the money to pay for consultants, business travel and other things in an effort to promote the college’s image.

Financial mismanagement was one reason why Morris Brown lost its accreditation and access to federal funding last year. Prosecutors say the mismanagement has wrecked the school and also the finances of unsuspecting students who discovered years later that there were defaulted loans in their names. Enrollment at the college has dropped from nearly 3,000 to 150 students.

Cross’s attorney could not be reached for this article. Singh’s lawyer said he had no knowledge that funds were going to ineligible students.

If convicted, Cross and Singh will face two to five years in prison for each count of fraud and theft.


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Related Links:

Article from The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53635-2004Dec9.html

 

Enrollment dropped from 3000 to 150. Interesting, according to russ they should be racking in the money since they no longer have to pay for accreditation. Why do you think it isn't working out, russ?

 

And what it looks like today....


HBCU GAMEDAY: Abandoned: Morris Brown's Herndon Stadium

 

And more...


https://www.buzzfeed.com/donovanxr/the-rise-fall-and-improbable-comeback-of-morris-brown-colleg?utm_term=.cym8kdEOZ#.acE9ZmJxD

 

That's just sad.

 

Morris Brown on the comeback trail?

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/education/morris-brown-approved/85-d43a1c14-2b64-494a-a634-4be6733891ab

 

From the article:"Through scholarships and reduced tuition, the college allows them the opportunity to complete their undergraduate education at little to no cost with the hope that their degrees will one day carry the full weight of accreditation."

Fat chance. Generally, if your school is unaccredited when you get your degree - S.O.L. I think they are giving people false hope.

 

It appears from the article that they have applied (or are applying shortly) to TRACS, a National faith-based accreditor, to get correspondence courses accredited. TRACS is a religious accreditor - how is this is going to help anyone with intent to earn a secular degree? In fact, it doesn't look like it will help anyone on campus. They're dealing with correspondence courses only, so it says.

When "accredit or die' legislation showed up in California, some unaccredited schools made a bee-line for TRACS, thinking it would be easy to obtain accreditation. Some added three or four religious programs where they had none before and tried to continue the business etc. degrees they had offered in the past. The idea was not well-received - any more than the spreadsheet program I once made for Church Management - "Holy Sheet!"

 

Before it can help others, the school has to be able to help itself. And it seems to be operating on sunshine and promises.. It hasn't been able to help itself since convicted criminal officials 'helped' the school to unwarranted Federal dollars.

Unfortunately, I think it may be past the possibility of resurrection. I'd like to be wrong. A once-proud school ruined by malefactors. Certainly doesn't look like there are near or medium term prospects of the type of accreditation they're going to need - yet they're enrolling students.

BTW Lerner's article is pretty old. Here's one on the sentencing - also a long time ago. This case was all wrapped up 12 years ago. https://www.chronicle.com/article/Former-President-of-Morris/38043

Pretty light sentences considering the money involved.