Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan | Department of Justice
Brandon Robinson, a 42-year-old Detroit resident, pleaded guilty on May 6 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in a multi-million-dollar federal student aid fraud scheme, according to United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Jr.
The case is significant due to the scale of the fraudulent activity. Prosecutors say Robinson led a decade-long operation that used fake identities and so-called “straw students” to obtain fraudulent Federal Student Aid benefits. Between January 2015 and February 2024, he submitted false claims for more than 1,200 individuals across over 100 schools in 24 states. Authorities estimate the total value of the fraud at more than $16 million in awarded aid, with over $10 million actually disbursed. In addition to the student aid scheme, Robinson admitted responsibility for filing over 100 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims between April 2020 and March 2023, resulting in more than $1 million paid out.
Robinson entered his plea before United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson. Sentencing is scheduled for September 1, where he faces up to twenty years in prison on the wire fraud charge and an additional mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft.
In related proceedings before Judge Michelson, co-conspirators Antonio Robinson and Joshuan Porter also pleaded guilty for their roles in the same scheme. They are set to be sentenced on July 7 (Antonio Robinson) and August 4 (Joshuan Porter), each facing up to twenty years imprisonment.
United States Attorney Gorgon said: “More than 1,000 fake students. A decade of fraud. This man built an industrial-scale operation to loot federal student aid programs and to steal from the American taxpayer.”
John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Central Regional Office said: "Scams like this steal money from hardworking taxpayers and legitimate students and that is unacceptable... The OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to fighting student aid fraud and we will continue to aggressively pursue those that participate in these types of crimes." Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General added: “Brandon Robinson’s guilty plea sends a clear message: if you steal from programs meant to help hardworking Americans... our team ... will find you... Protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance system remains one of my top priorities.”
Federal officials note that this prosecution is part of broader efforts by both agencies as well as President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud—chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance—to address waste within federal benefit programs.
