Three Phoenix residents, Jacqueline Scroggins, Amethyst Nicole Henderson, and Jamar Britt have been sentenced for attempted financial aid fraud of over $5 million.
Jacqueline Scroggins, age 53, of Avondale, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, followed by 100 hours of community service. Scroggins had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and mail fraud.
Henderson, age 30, of Phoenix, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and financial aid fraud and was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment and 50 hours community service, and Jamar Britt, age 36, of Phoenix, was also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and 50 hours community service.
Restitution of $1,669,166 was ordered jointly as to all defendants.
Scroggins, Henderson, and Britt all admitted to conspiring to commit mail and financial aid fraud to further a scheme to attempt to obtain approximately $5,295,116 in federally-insured student aid from the United States Department of Education and colleges within the Maricopa County Community College District. As part of the scheme, they applied for aid in the names of approximately 483 people who did not plan to attend college and caused the payment of approximately $1,669,166 in student aid to the College District and the conspirators.