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Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Elegant Solutions, Inc., a corporation, also doing business as Federal Direct Group; Trend Capital Ltd., a corporation, also doing business as Mission Hills Federal; Dark Island Industries, Inc., a corporation, also doing business as Federal Direct Group and formerly known as Cosmopolitan Funding Inc.; Heritage Asset Management, Inc., a corporation, also doing business as National Secure Processing; Tribune Management, Inc., a corporation, also doing business as The Student Loan Group; Mazen Radwan, also known as Michael Radwan and Mike Radwan; Rima Radwan; and Dean Robbins, Defendants.
FTC Matter/File Number
192 3105
Civil Action Number
SACV 19-1333JVS(KESx)
Enforcement Type
Federal Injunctions
Federal Court
Central District of California

Case Summary

The Federal Trade Commission has stopped Mission Hills Federal, a student loan debt relief scheme, alleging it bilked more than $23 million from thousands of consumers with false claims that it would service and pay down their student loans. After the FTC filed a complaint seeking to end the deceptive practices, a federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze its assets. The FTC filed an amended complaint on August 27, 2019, adding Labiba Velazquez as an alleged defendant. On July 20, 2020, the court granted final summary judgment.

In June 2021, the defendants appealed the District Court’s granting of summary judgment. In June 2022, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision, rejecting the defendants’ arguments and affirmed the District Court’s grant of summary judgment, ruling in favor of the FTC. In March 2024, the FTC sent more than $4.1 million in refunds to consumers harmed by the defendants. 

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