Last Updated
Case Status
Pending
Federal Trade Commission; and State of Minnesota, by its Attorney General, Keith Ellison; Plaintiffs, v. Manhattan Beach Venture, LLC, a California limited liability company, also d/b/a The Student Loan Relief Department; Christopher E. Lyell, an individual; Bradley K. Hansen, an individual; and Equitable Acceptance Corporation, a corporation; Defendants.
FTC Matter/File Number
172 3041
Civil Action Number
2:19-cv-07849
Federal Court
Central District of California
Case Summary
The Federal Trade Commission charged the operators of two similar student loan debt relief schemes, Manhattan Beach Ventures and Student Advocates Team, and a financing company that assisted them, Equitable Acceptance Corporation, with bilking millions of dollars from consumers.
In May 2021, the FTC sent payments totaling more than $273,500 to consumers who lost money to the student loan debt relief scheme.