Students at former for-profit school are getting loan debt relief

Students defrauded at 91 former Corinthian Colleges campuses, including those in Missouri, are getting a clear path to loan forgiveness under evidence uncovered by the U.S. Department of Education.

The breakthrough in this case came while the department was working with multiple state attorneys general. Corinthian Colleges, formally one of the largest for-profit higher education companies in North America, sold or closed its schools last year amid fraud allegations.

The company had been investigated on several fronts, including misleading students on job placement, rates of graduation, accreditation and the transferability of its credits.

“When Americans invest their time, money and effort to gain new skills, they have a right to expect they’ll get an education that leads to a better life for them and their families. Corinthian was more worried about profits than about students’ lives,” Education Secretary John B. King said in a statement Friday.

U.S. Department of Education officials said that students from these 91 Corinthian campuses represent the largest group of borrowers eligible for loan relief so far. In total, the department has made findings of fraud against more than 100 of Corinthian’s former campuses.

Students who attended Corinthian schools, operated under its Everest and WyoTech brands in more than 20 states, can apply for debt relief through a federal financial aid form.

King announced that the Department of Education has approved loan discharges for more than 8,800 former Corinthian students nationwide, totaling more than $130 million.

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 7:52 PM.