PHOENIX —- A Phoenix man has been sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison for his role in a federal student aid fraud ring.
Federal prosecutors say 28-year-old Jardon Laforcarde also must serve three years of supervised release.
Laforcarde pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to defraud the U. S. Department of Education of nearly $370,000 in student aid funds.
Three other co-defendants also pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy and were recently sentenced to various prison terms.
Prosecutors say Laforcarde and the three others conspired to enroll fictitious students in online college courses and submit fraudulent online applications for federal student aid in the names of those fictitious students.
The four also have been ordered to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Education.
