Lawsuit: Law School Defrauded Taxpayers Out Of $285 Million

A lawsuit is accusing the Charlotte School of Law of defrauding taxpayers out of $285 million. 

The lawsuit was filed by former professor Barbara Bernier. It says the for-profit school, which closed last week, admitted unqualified students, then manipulated records to keep them enrolled so the college could collect their government-supported tuition. The suit also accuses the school of misrepresenting both the state bar exam scores of their graduates and their success in finding jobs.

The Charlotte Observer reports the complaint was filed in 2016 and became public this month.

The lawsuit reveals that federal prosecutors have been investigating the school for more than a year, although it's unclear how that inquiry is related.

A statement from school spokeswoman Victoria Taylor said the school would "defend itself vigorously against the allegations in the complaint," but had no additional comment.