$3.3 million going to students scammed by OC-based debt-relief company

Federal regulators are sending payments totaling $3.3 million to students who were bilked by an Orange County business claiming it would reduce their student loan debt.

“In reality, the scammers pocketed customers’ payments and never provided the promised relief,” the FTC said. In 2019, the FTC obtained a temporary restraining order that halted operations at Arete Financial, Arete Financial Freedom, CBC Conglomerate LLC and Diamond Choice Inc., among others. The businesses maintained operations in Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Irvine and Walnut Creek. An online posting also lists Tustin.A settlement was reached the following year in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California when defendants Carey G. Howe, Anna C.

Complaints filed April 24 in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana by the Federal Trade Commission target SL Finance LLC, BCO Consulting Services Inc. and SLA Consulting Services Inc, alleging the companies used deceptive claims about repayment programs and loan forgiveness that didn’t exist.

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