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Volume 41, Issue 4. Today is .

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Volume 41, Issue 4
October 14, 2003

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October 14, 2003

Suspect nabbed in
$300,000 aid fraud
Dan Smith
Mesa Legend

A 62-year-old MCC student is awaiting trial on account of more than $300,000 he allegedly swindled from the government in the form of financial aid.
By using the identities of 50 prisoners, John Christensen is accused of fraudulently obtaining money from Maricopa County and other college districts.
He is facing financial aid fraud, Social Security fraud and identity theft charges.
Consequences may involve up to $250,000 in fines as well as a possible 15-year prison sentence.
On Sept. 2 Christensen was apprehended at MCC by Captain of College Safety Lynn Bray.
According to Bray, College Safety had not been informed about the fraud investigation which was being conducted by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General.
Christensen had actually spoken to Bray in the weeks prior to his arrest.
In hindsight Bray remarked that the accused man was probably “feeling him out.”
Although cons this large are rare in financial aid, the more subtle and common fraud of lying about marital status and amount of dependents can land someone fines of up to $10,000 and jail time.
The financial aid department said that they do plan on implementing an identity card scanner soon but admits it would not have prevented this crime.
The U.S Marshals came to campus on Oct. 7 to honor College Safety for snaring the con-man.