ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) – Six people have been charged with a conspiracy that is nearly $20 million from GI bill benefits, the Justice Department has announced.
The six people charged were:
Zachary Hiscock, 41, Arizona Timothy Slater, 66, Illinois Nikhil Patel, 48, Missouri Gangadar Bajra, 59, Virginia Arif Hasan Says, 54, California Kyle Koteka, 38, Apopka signed a judiciary agreement for his role.
Hiscock, slater, Patel, Bathura and Sayed conspired with Kotecha to violate veteran regulations, according to the indictment.
The regulations prohibit predatory practices in which veterans target GI bill tuition benefits.
Six scammered veteran students and a multi-million dollar VA, according to the DOJ.
Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathura and Sayeed ran commercial, non-university degree schools across the United States, offering courses in cybersecurity and computer coding.
Non-university degree schools have been approved to receive GI bill benefits.
“VA regulations prohibit schools receiving the GI bill. They can benefit from compensation for individuals who hire and register a portion of the lessons that secure veteran students. Despite the ban on hiring under the committee, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bashura and Sayeed have hired Keteka to target and recruit veteran students, and have acquired veteran students via veteran school students. Justice said in a press release.
Defendants will use code terms, hidden payments, background and forged contractors, and fake registration records to avoid VA auditors.
According to the indictment, some schools have created false records of non-Betalan attendance to legalize and disguise a dramatic increase in veteran enrollment.
“These accusations serve as harsh warnings to those who scam the GI bill education benefits program after 9/11,” said special agent David Spilker, director of the veteran affairs department at the Southeast Field Office of the Inspector General. “The GI bill has served millions of veterans since World War II, and VA OIG will actively investigate fraud committed against this critical program, along with partners.”
According to the DOJ, Kotecha’s recruitment scheme was successful, sending millions of dollars of GI bill benefits to schools where they previously had little to receive.
The school will charge veterans tuition fees at or near the $24,000 annual limit for instruction after 8-13 weeks.
Schools will need to confiscate the fraudulently acquired $19,232,390 GI bill benefits.
Kotecha agreed to confiscate the estimated amount obtained from the scheme to the US by $3,965,264,34.
Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula and Slayed were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 count wire fraud. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Koteka was charged with information and signed a judicial agreement on his role.
