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FOIA Request to Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Regarding Colleges Financial Aid Fraud on May 7, 2025.
As part of our ongoing commitment to uncovering and reporting on governmental affairs, Bean Town Times has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. The request seeks detailed records related to financial aid fraud within colleges under the jurisdiction of the department.
Our inquiry is driven by recent reports highlighting escalating financial aid fraud in California community colleges, where bots have been found to comprise 25% of applicants. This fraudulent activity, perpetrated by so-called “Pell runners,” involves exploiting artificial intelligence to secure grants and then disappearing, leading to significant financial losses for educational institutions—over $5 million since 2021. Despite efforts to enhance detection and cybersecurity measures, these scams continue to pose challenges.
In light of these revelations, we are requesting specific data points from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education regarding any similar incidents within their purview. Specifically, we seek information on whether the agency tracks financial aid fraud and, if so, details including college names involved in such incidents, applicant names linked to fraudulent activities, amounts defrauded, and dates when these incidents occurred.
As members of the media dedicated to holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public good, we believe this information is crucial. We have also requested a fee waiver in line with our role in disseminating important news and insights.
This request aligns with our association with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating state and federal agencies through Freedom of Information laws. Our goal is to provide clarity and inform the American electorate about governmental actions affecting public resources.
We await a response from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and will continue our efforts to bring comprehensive coverage on this critical issue.
