Show-Me State Times

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FOIA Request to Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development Regarding Colleges Financial Aid Fraud on May 7, 2025.

As part of our ongoing commitment to uncovering and reporting on governmental affairs, we at Show-Me State Times have submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Our request seeks detailed records concerning financial aid fraud within colleges, specifically focusing on incidents where fraudulent activities have impacted financial aid distribution.

The request was made under the Missouri Sunshine Law § 610.023 et seq., with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format. The data points requested include the names of colleges involved, applicant names associated with fraudulent activities, the amount of fraud committed, and the dates when these incidents occurred.

This inquiry was prompted by a report highlighting significant financial aid fraud issues faced by California community colleges. According to an article from CalMatters, bots are responsible for 25% of fraudulent applications, leading to substantial financial losses for educational institutions since 2021. These "Pell runners" exploit artificial intelligence to secure grants fraudulently and then disappear without a trace.

Our role as members of The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating state and federal governmental agencies—compels us to seek transparency and accountability from public institutions. We believe that access to these records is crucial for informing the public about potential vulnerabilities in the financial aid system and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are safeguarded against misuse.

In light of our media affiliation and commitment to public service journalism, we have requested a fee waiver for this FOIA submission. We aim to use this information to hold public institutions accountable while providing transparency about their operations.

We await a response from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development regarding our request and will continue to keep our readers informed as new developments arise.