6 linked to Georgia theology school charged with fraud

COLUMBUS, Georgia (AP) — Six people from three states are charged with defrauding $12 million from federal student aid programs by allegedly enrolling students into a theology school without requiring any classwork.

The defendants are from Georgia, Alabama, and Nevada. They also were accused of creating fake students as part of a scheme to operate a campus in Columbus, Georgia, for North Carolina-based Apex School of Theology.

The group allegedly recruited people to act as students to apply for federal financial aid. The supposed students did no work and attended no classes, but split their financial aid with the defendants.

The scheme also involved creating work for fake students.