Crystal Martin, a former Associate Registrar at Delaware State University, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for her role in an in-state tuition scam.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, between 2013 and 2017, Martin accepted bribes from co-defendant Stephen Williams in order to change the registration status of hundreds of out-of-state students.
Williams was sentenced earlier. Click on the headline at the bottom of the story for further information.
Using forged residency documents prepared by her co-conspirator, Martin’s actions allowed these students to pay reduced tuition, when in fact, she knew these students should be paying the higher rate for out-of-state residents.
The out-of-state students paid Williams for this fraudulent service, who in turn paid Martin, and during the scheme Martin personally collected thousands of dollars in payments. The loss to Delaware State University in reduced tuition payments during this four-year-period exceeded $3 million.
U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss stated, “The citizens of Delaware depend on public officials to perform their work honestly and to put the public interest first. The defendant did the opposite when she accepted bribe after bribe to change the registration status of out-of-state students and deprive a public institution of millions of dollars. How much she personally profited matters little. She sold out Delaware State University and the people of Delaware. With the help of our dedicated law enforcement partners, my office will continue to prosecute individuals who violate the public trust.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Baltimore Division’s Wilmington Office, the United States Department of Education, and Delaware State Police, with assistance from the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney C. Cloud and Laura D. Hatcher.
One of two people convicted in $3 million DSU tuition scam gets 42 months in federal prison
