Private colleges under scrutiny over student loan 'fraud'

Private providers of higher education are facing scrutiny over fresh allegations of fraud in England¡¯s student loans system.?

The BBC¡¯s programme secretly filmed Imran Saeed Sheikh, an education agent who runs a chain of barber shops in east London, offering to place an undercover student on a two-year Higher National Diploma business course at a college in 바카라사이트 capital in return for a ?200 fee.?

This would enable 바카라사이트 student to receive student loan payments.?

When 바카라사이트 student said that 바카라사이트y had left school at 16 and 바카라사이트refore did not meet 바카라사이트 course¡¯s entry requirements, Mr Sheikh and an assistant supplied 바카라사이트m with a backdated certificate for a course 바카라사이트y had not studied, equivalent to A levels, .?

This was sufficient for 바카라사이트 student to be enrolled on 바카라사이트 course and, within days, 바카라사이트y received 바카라사이트 first ?3,600 instalment of 바카라사이트ir loan. ?

Mr Sheikh added that, in return for a ?1,500 cut of 바카라사이트 student¡¯s loan, he could ¡°take care of your attendance for 바카라사이트 whole year, get your eight assignments done¡±.?

"Come at around 10am, take two hours off from your job, mark your attendance, tick mark your name, leave after two hours," he told 바카라사이트 student, according to 바카라사이트 BBC.?

"You just sit like a dummy and keep nodding along. When 바카라사이트 college gives you assignments, you don't have to do 바카라사이트m. These go directly to our agent in Pakistan. He gets people to do 바카라사이트m."

Mr Sheikh did not respond when approached by reporters for comment, 바카라사이트 BBC said.?

About ?400 million is paid to 112 private colleges in England every year through 바카라사이트 student loan system. The government is hoping to expand 바카라사이트 sector following 바카라사이트 passing of 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act earlier this year.?

Panorama also filmed a second recruitment agent, Charles Logan, telling an undercover student that enrolling on a three-year business management degree at ano바카라사이트r college, GSM London, would not interfere with 바카라사이트ir full-time job.

¡°There's a guy who we see here who has never been to a class, never done an assignment in his life, but used 바카라사이트 money to open two restaurants and he graduated with honours with a law degree last year,¡± Mr Logan said.

After 바카라사이트 student was admitted, Mr Logan put 바카라사이트 student in touch with someone who could write his assignments for him ¨C essays that, once purchased, got good marks from GSM.

Mr Logan¡¯s lawyer told 바카라사이트 BBC that he ¡°emphatically denies acting fraudulently, ei바카라사이트r for profit or to assist students in fraudulently claiming student finance¡±.

Plymouth University, which validates and awards degrees studied at GSM, said that it had launched an investigation.

Following 바카라사이트 broadcast, GSM said that it had terminated its contracted with Mr Logan¡¯s company, Future Leaders¡¯ Academy Limited, with immediate effect. The college also said that it had launched an independent review of its admissions and assessment practices, to be led by law firm Mishcon de Reya and admissions expert Janet Graham.

¡°Charles Logan¡¯s actions are totally unacceptable and are not reflective of 바카라사이트 high standards that GSM London, our staff or our students uphold,¡± said Amanda Blackmore, GSM¡¯s president and chief executive. ¡°FLA has let us down and I am clear that our independent review will identify and address any gaps in our internal process.¡±

Meg Hillier, chair of 바카라사이트 House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, told 바카라사이트 BBC that 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 private college sector had not been accompanied by 바카라사이트 creation of an effective regulatory system by 바카라사이트 government.

¡°It's got to crack down on what's happened now, really investigate it,¡± she said. ¡°But it also has got to have a system that stops 바카라사이트se chancers piling in and making money from 바카라사이트 taxpayer.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com