MuckFlash

Columbus, GA -10 March 2009- Staff. Authorities today conducted an early morning raid on the offices of Harper Educational Services LLP, citing allegations of “massive” fraud. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s office, which led the raid according to warrants filed by the Muscogee Country District Attorney, left the scene with at least two trucks full of documents and computer equipment after several hours of collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.

Harper ceased operations immediately after the raid, and no representative could be reached for comment. Up until this morning, the company had been an umbrella organization for a series of online and correspondence colleges, many of which were heavily marketed during late night television. A notable example was the company’s two week “FAZTRAK” degree in “Entertainment Biz Management,” endorsed in an early ad by Mark Hamill.

In court filings, the Muscogee County district attorney asserts that many of Harper’s online universities and correspondence degrees were thinly veiled scams, wherein students paid, in some cases, thousands of dollars for unaccredited degrees, many of which were entirely fictitious. As an extreme example, the filing cites a recent Harper marketing campaign to promote a “SEX [sic] Hour Feminar” which would award paying participants a degree in “Panty Studies” with a concentration in “Hot.”

While investigators on-site refused to comment on the details of the investigation, a spokesperson for the Muscogee County District Attorney sent the following statement over email: “Muscogee County takes allegations of fraud very seriously, and we will prosecute any violations to the fullest extent of the law, pending the outcome of our investigation.”

The court filings further suggest that Harper’s own game eventually became too elaborate to sustain, as smarter consumers and more competition from more legitimate online schools increased scrutiny on Harpers sometimes outrageous claims.

One victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, praised the actions against Harper. “Motherf***ers took my money and sent me a degree in ‘Fat.’ I swear to God if I ever find these people I’ll get more than my money back.”