Skip to main content
Abbreviation
ED
Agencies
Department of Education
Federal Agency
Yes
Location

United States

What to Report to the OIG Hotline
Violations of Federal laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to U.S. Department of Education programs and funding, including complaints involving U.S. Department of Education employees, recipients of Department of Education funds, schools, school officials, other educational institutions, contractors, lending institutions, collections agencies, or public officials. This includes, but not limited to: • Embezzlement, bribery, or other public corruption involving U.S. Department of Education funds • Serious mismanagement involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds • Theft or misuse of Federal student aid • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a financial aid administrator or other school official(s) • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a student loan servicer or collection agency • Knowledge that your school is not complying with regulations or laws involving Federal student aid or other U.S. Department of Education program or operation • Whistleblower reprisal (if you are a U.S. Department of Education employee, also report reprisal to the Office of Special Counsel) • Conflicts of interest • Contract and procurement irregularities • Theft or abuse of government property • U.S. Department of Education employee misconduct • Ethics violations by U.S. Department of Education officials • Unauthorized access to U.S. Department of Education Information Technology systems or Information Technology systems that involves administration or disbursement of U.S. Department of Education funds.
What Not to Report to the OIG Hotline
If your complaint or allegation does not involve fraud, waste, theft, mismanagement, public corruption, or abuse involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds, you may need to contact another U.S. Department of Education office or Federal or State agency for assistance. If your complaint or allegation falls under one of the categories below, please contact the agency or organization listed for assistance. If you have been unable to solve a problem that is not a result of theft or fraud involving your Federal student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman. The FSA Ombudsman’s Office is a neutral, informal, and confidential resource to help resolve disputes about your Federal student loans. If you have an issue with your private student loan, or another private financial product or service: • Please contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at 1-800-411-2372 or http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/#student-loan. You can submit a complaint about private student loans, which are often issued by a bank, a credit union, your school, or another lending institution. If you believe an improper accounting error occurred on your student loan involving a collection agency or loan service center, or if you disagree with your loan servicer about the balance or status of your student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you require technical assistance regarding your student loan, mediation between your loan servicing center, or problems receiving student loan documents from your loan servicer, disability forms, or loan cancellation: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If the Internal Revenue Service has or will offset income tax returns, or if you believe that there has been an improper garnishment of your wages for the repayment of student loans: • Please contact the Office of Debt Collection Services at 1-800-621-3115 (or 1-202-377-3373 or 1-202-377-3374), or find more on what you can do if you defaulted on your student loan repayment here: https://myeddebt.ed.gov/borrower/contactusSubLinks If your school closed or your loan was cancelled as a result of a school closure: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD-1-800-8480983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you have questions concerning the quality of education you received while attending a college, university, or trade school: • Please contact your local Better Business Bureau, the school’s accrediting agency, the State licensing agency, or the State Board of Higher Education. If your complaint involves a Head Start Program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OIG at 1-800-424-9121 or https://oig.hhs.gov/ If your complaint involves a school lunch program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) OIG at http://www.usda.gov/oig/ If your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights – 1-800-421-3481 or http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintprocess.html If you are a U.S. Department of Education employee and your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Equal Employment Opportunity Service Office - 1-800-872-5327 or https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/om/fs_po/om/eeo.html If your complaint involves a scholarship scam—someone calling to offer you a scholarship and requesting your bank or credit card account number for a processing fee—do not share any information and immediately • Contact the Federal Trade Commission - 1-877-FTC-HELP or http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Former Executive Director and Three Contractors of the Mississippi Department of Education Charged with Conspiracy, Federal Bribery, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

Former Executive Director and Three Contractors of the Mississippi Department of Education Charged with Conspiracy, Federal Bribery, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former Executive Director and Three Contractors of the Mississippi Department of Education Charged with Conspiracy, Federal Bribery, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Jackson, Miss. – Cerissa Renfroe Neal, 45, of Madison County, David B. Hunt, 54, of Jackson, Tennessee, Joseph Kyles, 51, of Memphis,,,

Parent Charged in College Admissions Case

Parent Charged in College Admissions Case
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Parent Charged in College Admissions Case BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with using fraud and bribery to have his daughter designated as a tennis recruit for Georgetown University. Amin Khoury, 54, of Palm Beach, Fla. and Mashpee, Mass., was indicted,,,

University Athletic Officials Charged in Superseding Indictment in College Admissions Case

University Athletic Officials Charged in Superseding Indictment in College Admissions Case
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

University Athletic Officials Charged in Superseding Indictment in College Admissions Case BOSTON – A federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts returned a second superseding indictment today bringing additional charges against two university athletic officials in the college admissions,,,

Prison, Restitution Ordered For Florida Woman Guilty In A Student Financial Aid Identity Theft Scheme

Prison, Restitution Ordered For Florida Woman Guilty In A Student Financial Aid Identity Theft Scheme
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Prison, Restitution Ordered For Florida Woman Guilty In A Student Financial Aid Identity Theft Scheme ALBANY, Ga. – A Florida woman who concocted a complicated student financial aid fraud scheme, stealing the identities of 2,300 people, has been sentenced to prison and will pay back more than $300,,,

U.S. Attorney Announces MOU with Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery

U.S. Attorney Announces MOU with Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

U.S. Attorney Announces MOU with Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery BEAUMONT, Texas – United States Attorney Stephen J. Cox and Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery Brian D. Miller announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas (EDTX) has,,,

Former Tennessee State University Employee Sentenced To Federal Prison In Student Loan Fraud Scheme

Former Tennessee State University Employee Sentenced To Federal Prison In Student Loan Fraud Scheme
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former Tennessee State University Employee Sentenced To Federal Prison In Student Loan Fraud Scheme NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 17, 2020 – A former Tennessee State University (TSU) employee was sentenced Friday to 32 months in federal prison for fraudulently receiving and misappropriating more than,,,

U.S. Department of Education’s Compliance with Improper Payment Reporting Requirements for Fiscal Year 2019

2020
A04U0001
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The Department complied with IPERA because it met all six compliance requirements. The Department’s improper payment estimate and methodology for the Restart program was generally accurate and complete. However, the Department published improper payments estimates that were unreliable for the...

Sonoma County CEO Sentenced To Three And A Half Years In Prison On Charges Stemming From Multi-Million-Dollar Student Loan Repayment Services Scam

Sonoma County CEO Sentenced To Three And A Half Years In Prison On Charges Stemming From Multi-Million-Dollar Student Loan Repayment Services Scam
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Sonoma County CEO Sentenced To Three And A Half Years In Prison On Charges Stemming From Multi-Million-Dollar Student Loan Repayment Services Scam SAN FRANCISCO – Brandon Frere was sentenced to 42 months in prison following his guilty plea to wire fraud and money laundering charges, announced United,,,

Former Bossier Parish Community College Comptroller Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $250,000

Former Bossier Parish Community College Comptroller Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $250,000
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Former Bossier Parish Community College Comptroller Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $250,000 SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Carol Bates, the former comptroller for Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC), pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge,,,

Couple sentenced for multiple frauds

Couple sentenced for multiple frauds
Article Type
Investigative Press Release
Publish Date

Couple sentenced for multiple frauds COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Pickerington couple have been sentenced for conspiring to defraud multiple federal programs by committing student-aid fraud, tax-return fraud, and Medicaid and SNAP fraud. They caused a total loss of more than half a million dollars. Damien M,,,

Subscribe to Department of Education OIG