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Judge: Mamtek CEO committed $1.3M bond fraud

By WTOP Staff

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The former CEO of Mamtek committed fraud to secure almost $1.3 million from bond funds that were supposed to be used to build an artificial sweetener plant in a central Missouri town, a federal judge ruled in a bankruptcy case.

In a ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey rejected all appeals raised by Bruce Cole and his wife, Nanette, and ordered them to repay $904,167 that had been transferred to their personal accounts and $360,000 sent overseas to creditors, The Columbia Daily Tribune reported (http://bit.ly/XxiCuG ).

The Moberly Industrial Development Authority agreed in 2010 to issue $39 million in bonds to fund the building of the sweetener plant in Moberly, and Mamtek promised the plant would bring 600 jobs to the town. The state of Missouri also authorized up to $17.6 million in tax credits and other incentives for the plant.

But when the money became available, Mamtek submitted a $4.1 million invoice from “Ramwell Industries Inc.,” a company that had provided no goods or services to Mamtek and that did not exist, Laughrey said. Bruce Cole helped to prepare that invoice, she said.

The money was distributed to creditors, including Mamtek officers, with $700,000 going to Nanette Cole’s personal account shortly before the couple’s Beverly Hills home was to be sold in foreclosure.

“A reasonable fact finder could only conclude that Mamtek intended to defraud when it submitted the Ramwell invoice to Moberly and then transferred $904,167 to the defendants,” Laughrey wrote.

Mamtek defaulted on the debt in August 2011.

Bruce Cole is scheduled to go on trial Dec. 2 on five felony counts of theft and securities fraud.

The Tribune said Bruce Cole could not be reached for comment. After being charged in September 2012, Cole was released from Randolph County Jail and returned to the Los Angeles area. His address is sealed in court records and his mailing address is a post office box.

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Information from: Columbia Daily Tribune, http://www.columbiatribune.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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