In its ongoing legal case against a student loan debt relief operation, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has expanded its list of defendants. Five corporate entities and two individuals have been added. This development follows the November 2024 filing of an initial complaint against Nevada-based Superior Servicing and its operator, Dennise Merdjanian. The FTC alleges that Merdjanian and her organization deceived consumers by pretending to represent the U.S. Department of Education and falsely promising loan forgiveness, consequently extracting millions of dollars from borrowers. The Commission's complaint led a federal court to temporarily halt the organization's actions and freeze its assets. The FTC is seeking a permanent ban on the alleged deceptive practices.
The newly amended complaint includes corporate defendants Sunrise Solutions USA LLC, Alumni Advantage LLC, Student Processing Center Group LLC, SPCTWO LLC, Accredit LLC, as well as individual defendants Eric Caldwell and David Hernandez. The FTC contends that these defendants collaborate with Merdjanian in managing an illegal debt relief scheme that preys on individuals with student loan debt through a network of constantly changing corporate structures. Allegations in the complaint assert that the defendants promise loan forgiveness, collect significant fees in advance, and deliver almost no relief, often worsening the consumer's financial situation.
The FTC Commission authorized the filing of this second amended complaint with a unanimous 4-0 vote, and the filing took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
The Federal Trade Commission's mission is to promote competition, protect consumers, and provide education on various consumer topics. The FTC emphasizes that it will never request money, issue threats, instruct fund transfers, or guarantee prizes. Consumers are encouraged to learn more at consumer.ftc.gov or report fraudulent activities at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC also provides updates through its social media, consumer alerts, business blog, and news alerts.
