Belford High Class Action Suit

[Albert Hidel]

Haven't seen this one mentioned anywhere.  A Michigan law firm has filed a class action lawsuit against Belford High School:

On November 5, 2009, a class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court in Detroit alleging that Belford High School is an internet scam that defrauds students of their money. The lawsuit alleges that Belford High School takes students’ money by offering them a “valid” and “accredited” high school diploma, but that Belford High School is not accredited and that the “diplomas” are not valid. The lawsuit alleges that the two accrediting agencies by which Belford High School claims to be accredited – the International Accreditation Agency For Online Universities (IAAOU) and the Universal Council For Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA) – are not legitimate accrediting agencies. The lawsuit alleges that IAAOU and UCOEA are not recognized by the United States Department of Education and that they are sham organizations set up solely to make Belford High School look like a legitimate school when, in fact, the school actually has no authority to issue valid high school diplomas.
. . .
A copy of the lawsuit, which alleges claims for fraud, breach of contract, and violations of a federal lawsuit, the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Act (known as RICO), can be found by clicking here. In the lawsuit, students are asking the federal district court to order Belford High School, IAAOU and UCOEA, along with Education Services Provider, Inc. to pay them damages. The filing asks the Court to award treble (three times) damages for the violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and requests that the Court order the websites www.belfordhighschool.com,  and www.belforduniversity.org to be shut down. The lawsuit was filed by The Googasian Firm, P.C.

http://www.belfordlawsuit.com/

However, Belford does not seem to be going quietly, and in fact has stirred up quite an internet presence in opposition, even with a few "Capella Sucks"-style touches.  For example:
Belford Lawsuit Filed by Googasian Law Firm
Belford Class Action Lawsuit – Important Information for Students
Evelyn Reisdorff (one of the plaintiffs)
See Why Dean Googasian May Not Be the Right Choice of Attorney for Your Case
Belford Law Suit
The Malicious Belford Lawsuit
Belford Alumni United

Not that Googasian is exactly taking the quiet and humble tact either.  Here's one of their planted stories from the Flint News:
Flint woman wants to shut down alleged diploma mill Belford High School via lawsuit
It seems that a high school dropout bought a 10-question Belford GED, and then got "upset" when Baker College wouldn't accept it.

Let's hope this one gets to trial.  Aside from featuring a defendant who seems ready and willing to give as good as it gets, it should be funny listening to plaintiff's counsel explaining exactly how the people who got caught passing off these 10-question GEDs have been victimized.

[ham]

Well...
so she paid $250 and got a 10 questions GED awarded by an unaccredited provider with 3.9 GPA...then the broad complains she has been scammed...but if it had worked, she'd be telling everyone how silly they were for passing the real thing...bleah!

[Armando Ramos]

You think there might be a reason why she dropped out of high school?  Something to do with an inability to grasp the obvious?  

Okay, that explains her, but what about her lawyers?  I'm trying to imagine how this would go at trial.  Sort of like in "A Few Good Men," except instead of "grave danger" ("Is there any other kind?") we get "accreditation":

Q: Would you say it was real important that your GED come from an accredited provider?  
A: Yup.
Q: And so did you check to see if the provider was accredited before you paid?  
A: Uh, nope.
Q: Would you say your 10-question GED was a scam?
A: Yup.
Q: And so, believing it was a scam, why did you submit it to Baker College?
A: Uh, because I'm the dumbest cunt in Flint?

[Dennis Ruhl]

Wait a minute. Isn't that Michael Moore?