A man from Ohio, who was involved in creating and administrating two charter schools in Columbus, pled guilty to bank fraud conspiracy last week.
A 59-year-old man named Abdirizak Y. Farah admitted to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio that he had used student loans to purchase a house in New Albany.
In 2007 and 2020, Farah established Focus Learning Academy in Northern Columbus and Central Columbus, respectively.
Farah bought a house in New Albany for $900,000 in August 2020. The individual in question allegedly asked for the transfer of $265,000 from an account belonging to Focus Learning to another individual just two days before the scheduled closure date, intending to purchase “learning materials,” as documented in court records.
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He also sent a letter to the bank that was managing the closing on his house that very day. He received $260,000 in gift contributions that had nothing to do with the real estate deal, according to the letter.
The beneficiary of the transferred monies then sent $260,000 via wire transfer to the closing title company the following business day.
The individual who assisted Farah received $265,000 from several vendors or Focus Learning, which was subsequently refunded to the institution.
The United States will receive $265,000 from Farah as part of his plea deal.
Farah may spend the next 30 years behind bars.
Juniper Calloway is a dedicated journalist with 3 years of experience in covering hard-hitting stories. Known for her commitment to delivering timely and accurate updates, she currently works with MikeandJon Podcast, where she focuses on reporting critical topics such as crime, local news, and national developments across the United States. Her ability to break down complex issues and keep audiences informed has established her as a trusted voice in journalism.
