{"id":480,"date":"2026-08-03T16:32:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=480"},"modified":"2026-08-03T16:32:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:47","slug":"student-loan-forgiveness-scammer-permanently-banned-from-debt-relief-industry-and-telemarketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=480","title":{"rendered":"Student Loan Forgiveness Scammer Permanently Banned from Debt Relief Industry and Telemarketing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <a id=\"main-content\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"content\">\n<div class=\"primary-layout-columns\">\n<div class=\"usa-layout-docs__main\">\n<div class=\"region region-content\">\n<div id=\"block-block-content-b5025772-a547-4f8f-a251-ec580178b320\" class=\"block block-block-content block-block-contentb5025772-a547-4f8f-a251-ec580178b320 block--block-content--basic\">\n<div class=\"block-content block-content--type-basic block-content--983 block-content--view-mode-full\">\n<div class=\"block-content__content\">\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<div class=\"field__item\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div id=\"block-system-main-block--3\" class=\"block block-system block-system-main-block\">\n<div class=\"block-content-container\">\n<article class=\"node node--type-press-release node--view-mode-full node--334698\">\n<div class=\"node__content\">\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-tags-view field--type-viewfield field--label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field__item field__item-label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"view view-tags__block view-tags view-id-tags view-display-id-block js-view-dom-id-3dce5d794b73e0d8a593064d699502ff27e49136e11d061733ee9855539454b7 view--block\">\n<div class=\"view__content\">\n<div class=\"view-content\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/consumer-protection\">Consumer Protection<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/regional-offices\">Regional Offices<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/regional-offices\/southwest-region\">Southwest Region<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/bureau-consumer-protection\">Bureau of Consumer Protection<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/debt-relief\">Debt Relief<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/educate\">Education<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/imposter\">Imposter<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"views-field views-field-name\"><span class=\"field-content\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/business-guidance\/advertising-marketing\">Advertising and Marketing<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<div class=\"field__item\">\n<p>Dennise Merdjanian, an operator of a student loan debt forgiveness scheme, will be<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>permanently banned from the debt relief industry<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>and telemarketing under a proposed order resolving the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s charges that she and other operators took more than $45.9 million from consumers as part of their illegal student loan debt relief operation.<\/p>\n<p>In November 2024, the Commission sued Nevada-based Superior Servicing LLC and\u00a0Merdjanian alleging they pretended to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education and falsely promised student loan forgiveness, bilking millions from student loan borrowers. A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/system\/files\/ftc_gov\/pdf\/superior_servicing_tro.pdf\">federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze its assets<\/a>\u00a0at the request of the FTC. In early 2025,\u00a0the FTC filed an amended complaint adding several other companies\u00a0and two scheme operators, Eric Caldwell and David Hernandez, as defendants.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada entered orders against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/system\/files\/ftc_gov\/pdf\/StipulatedOrder-EricCaldwell.pdf\">Caldwell<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/system\/files\/ftc_gov\/pdf\/StipulatedOrder-DavidHernandez.pdf\">Hernandez<\/a> banning them from engaging in the debt relief industry. Additionally, Caldwell\u2019s order bans him from engaging in telemarketing, and Hernandez\u2019s order prohibits him from violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/system\/files\/ftc_gov\/pdf\/OrderGrantingStipulatedPIforDefDenniseMerdjanian.pdf\">proposed order against Merdjanian<\/a><strong> <\/strong>will ban her from engaging in debt relief services and telemarketing.\u00a0It also\u00a0imposes a monetary judgment of more than $45.9 million that will be partially suspended, due to Merdjanian\u2019s inability to pay.\u00a0If Merdjanian is found to have materially misrepresented her finances, the full amount will become immediately due.<\/p>\n<p>The settlement with Merdjanian, along with a default order entered against the corporate defendants, resolves the litigation against the remaining defendants in the case.<\/p>\n<p>The FTC has resources on how to avoid student loan debt relief scams at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/consumer.ftc.gov\/articles\/paying-school-and-avoiding-scams\">ftc.gov\/StudentLoans<\/a>. Consumers can get assistance with their student loans\u00a0for free\u00a0at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/\">StudentAid.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission vote approving the stipulated final order was 2-0.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>The FTC filed the proposed order in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.\u00a0Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court Judge.<\/p>\n<p>The lead staff attorneys on this matter were Luis Gallegos and Reid Tepfer of the FTC\u2019s Bureau of Consumer Protection with assistance from FTC Investigator Kelle Slaughter.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-boilerplate-block field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field--count-1\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<div class=\"block-content block-content--type-boilerplate block-content--3 block-content--view-mode-default\">\n<div class=\"block-content__content\">\n<div class=\"field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<div class=\"field__item\">\n<p><span>The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/about-ftc\/bureaus-offices\/bureau-consumer-protection\"><span>protect and educate consumers<\/span><\/a><span>. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/consumer.ftc.gov\/\"><span>consumer.ftc.gov<\/span><\/a><span>, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/reportfraud.ftc.gov\/\"><span>ReportFraud.ftc.gov<\/span><\/a><span>. Follow the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/stay-connected\/social-media\"><span>FTC on social media<\/span><\/a><span>, read <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/consumer.ftc.gov\/consumer-alerts\"><span>consumer alerts<\/span><\/a><span> and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/business-guidance\/blog\"><span>business blog<\/span><\/a><span>, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/stay-connected\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"179e3a69-54d7-43a6-aab3-3c5a9f847919\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\"><span>sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"views-element-container block block-views block-views-blockftc-press-release-block-8\" id=\"block-views-block-ftc-press-release-block-8--3\">\n<div class=\"block-content-container\">\n<div class=\"view view-ftc-press-release__block_8 view-ftc-press-release view-id-ftc_press_release view-display-id-block_8 js-view-dom-id-30962ac2e0b6089c454bec6cb986fa6fb00b8633382803fd0704c1edb9447038 view--block\">\n<div class=\"view__content\">\n<div class=\"view-content\">\n<div class=\"views-row\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/news\/press-releases\/2025\/09\/operators-student-loan-forgiveness-scam-will-be-permanently-banned-debt-relief-industry-ordered-turn\">Operators of Student Loan Forgiveness Scam Will Be Permanently Banned from Debt Relief Industry, Ordered to Turn Over Assets <\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"views-row\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/news\/press-releases\/2024\/12\/ftc-acts-stop-scheme-bilked-millions-out-student-loan-borrowers\">FTC Acts to Stop Scheme that Bilked Millions out of Student Loan Borrowers <\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"views-row\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/news\/press-releases\/2025\/03\/ftc-names-additional-defendants-student-loan-debt-relief-case\">FTC Names Additional Defendants in Student Loan Debt Relief Case <\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"views-element-container block block-views block-views-blockftc-press-release-block-7\" id=\"block-views-block-ftc-press-release-block-7--3\">\n<div class=\"block-content-container\">\n<div class=\"view view-ftc-press-release__block_7 view-ftc-press-release view-id-ftc_press_release view-display-id-block_7 js-view-dom-id-e06dd0a7a9b1634168cc5629d45f22bff24dde49583267eae9309ce5b44f2ba5 view--block\">\n<div class=\"view__content\">\n<div class=\"view-content\">\n<div class=\"views-row\">\n<h3 class=\"views-label views-label-field-media-contacts\">Media Contact<\/h3>\n<div class=\"paragraph paragraph--type--media-contact paragraph--view-mode--default\">\n<div class=\"paragraph__content\">\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-media-contact-single field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field--count-1\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<article class=\"node node--type-biography node--view-mode-contact-information node--99\">\n<div class=\"node__content\">\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/07\/mailto:ndrayton@ftc.gov\"><br \/>\n<span>Nicole Drayton<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-division field--type-string field--label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<div class=\"field__item\">Office of Public Affairs<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-phone field--type-telephone field--label-hidden\">\n<div class=\"field__items\">\n<div class=\"field__item\">202-326-2565<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/07\/student-loan-forgiveness-scammer-permanently-banned-debt-relief-industry-telemarketing\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Press Release Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/news-events\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/07\/student-loan-forgiveness-scammer-permanently-banned-debt-relief-industry-telemarketing\">Press Release Feed<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dennise Merdjanian, an operator of a student loan debt forgiveness scheme, will be&nbsp;permanently banned from the debt relief industry&nbsp;and telemarketing under a proposed order resolving the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s charges that she and other operators took more than $45.9 million from consumers as part of their illegal student loan debt relief operatioView Press Release<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":270,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-civil-service-independent-agencies-federal-trade-commission"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=480"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":687,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480\/revisions\/687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}