Four suburban women charged in student loan scam

Four suburban women are facing student loan fraud and identity theft charges that authorities say netted them more than $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Education.

The women, Olympia Blue, 32, of Glendale Heights; Jessie Wright, 26, of Glendale Heights; Dasia Blue, 28, of Monee; and Lorin Brown, 35, of Monee, are accused of using the stolen identities of more than 50 people to collect student loans issued on debit cards and checks, according to state prosecutors. The women conspired to direct student loans intended to fund classes at College of DuPage and the University of Phoenix to their personal bank accounts, prosecutors said.

In addition to the losses to the identity theft victims, prosecutors said COD lost out on roughly $30,000 in tuition.

The case was investigated by College of DuPage police, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office and the U.S. Secret Service.

Madigan’s office said they became aware of the scam after a victim started receiving bills for tuition payments.

Brown and Wright were arrested and pleaded not guilty Friday in DuPage County. They are due back in court in March. Arrest warrants have been issued for the other two women, authorities said.