Two Detroit men have been charged for defrauding the higher education system in Federal Student Aid, announced United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon.
The first complaint charges Brandon Robinson, 41, of Detroit with wire fraud related to false Federal Student Aid claims submitted in the names of other individuals.
Between January 2015 and February 2024, Robinson submitted fraudulent FSA claims for more than 1200 individuals, involving over 100 schools in 24 states.
Robinson caused over $16 million in FSA benefits to be awarded, with more than $10M disbursed. Additionally, the complaint alleges that Robinson also filed over 100 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims between April 2020 and March 2023, causing the disbursement of over $1 million in UI benefits.
Two Detroiters Charged with Stealing Over $12 Million in Separate Federal Student Aid Fraud Schemes https://t.co/Z4pzOHcsp7
— U.S. Attorney EDMI (@USAO_MIE) September 25, 2025
Robinson was arrested earlier this week and appeared in federal court this afternoon on the charges.
Court documents say that Robinson is responsible for leading a years-long scheme to obtain fraudulent Federal Student Aid benefits involving so-called “straw students” who were enrolled for the primary purpose of receiving FSA.
The second complaint charges Michelle Hill, 48, of Detroit with wire fraud, in connection with a separate FSA scheme. Hill was arrested earlier this week and made an initial appearance in federal court.
Court documents say that between July 2015 and July 2025, Hill obtained fraudulent FSA benefits involving more than 80 individuals, predominantly enrolled at Wayne County Community College.
The complaint alleges that many of these individuals were enrolled in the same or similar degree programs and were taking the same or similar online courses. It is also alleged that Hill herself often completed the coursework on the students’ behalf, to make it appear that the students were progressing toward degrees and prolonging their eligibility for FSA benefits.
As a result of the scheme, it is alleged that Hill fraudulently caused more than $3 million in FSA benefits to be awarded, with more than $2.5 million disbursed.
Michigan's unemployment Insurance Agency lost between $8 billion and $11 billion to fraud during COVID. Michigan residents and even state employees stole millions of dollars meant for unemployed people.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John K. Neal and Ryan A. Particka. The Robinson investigation is being conducted jointly by agents from the Department of Education Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the FBI Detroit – Macomb County Resident Agency. The Hill investigation is being conducted by agents from Department of Education Office of the Inspector General.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge John Woolley, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Megan Howell, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).