By Elizabeth Christian, LCNews
PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) – Louisiana College has learned that two former students have been charged in a federal indictment in connection with alleged fraudulent use of grant money made available to students as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to the Justice Department press release, Hayden Philip Breaux, 21, of Houma, and D’Quincy Marquis Jones, 23, of Baton Rouge, have both been charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury with one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft and five counts of identity theft. The indictment alleges that in June 2020 Breaux and Jones and other co-conspirators used LC students’ personal information and passwords to gain access to the Louisiana College Online Student Portal to apply for these emergency funds and direct the money into their accounts.
“Louisiana College has and will continue to cooperate fully with the federal investigation,” said Elizabeth Clarke, LC college communications director. “Once college officials discovered possible fraudulent activity by grant recipients in June 2020, we immediately notified law enforcement officials and an investigation ensued.”
LC received the federal funding for the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 and followed the U.S. Department of Education requirements for awarding and distributing emergency grants to students.
Neither Breaux nor Jones are currently students at Louisiana College.
