The U.S. Department of Education announced it will discharge $16 million in federal student loans for Illinois borrowers who attended Westwood College’s criminal justice programs. The department’s decision was based on evidence provided by Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office, which confirmed that Westwood misrepresented students’ ability to become police officers in Illinois and to transfer credits to other schools. Based on evidence provided by Raoul’s office, nearly 500 Illinois borrowers will receive approximately $16 million in loan discharges. Nationally, the Attorney General’s investigation contributed to the department granting more than 1,600 claims resulting in approximately $53 million in loan discharges.

In 2012, the Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against Westwood alleging the college misrepresented the ability of Westwood criminal justice graduates to become police officers in Illinois, and misrepresented students’ ability to transfer Westwood credits to other schools. The lawsuit also alleged Westwood issued private student loans in order to maintain the Department of Education’s approval to receive federal student loan proceeds, despite knowing that students could not repay them. After three years of litigation, the school closed its doors nationally and forgave over $15 million in private student loans in a settlement with the Illinois Attorney General’s office. Student borrowers who have questions or are in need of assistance can call the Attorney General’s Student Loan Helpline at 1-800-455-2456.