Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today filed suit against Cleveland-based Community of Faith Christian School alleging multiple violations of Ohio consumer law, including misrepresenting the degrees it offered to students.
"The company sold degree programs through its business location and online and made false promises that students could use the degrees to gain entrance to community colleges," DeWine said. "Although the Attorney General's Office made multiple attempts to resolve the issues out of court, the company refused to cooperate."
Since April 2008, the Ohio Attorney General's Office has received 30 consumer complaints against Community of Faith and owner Jeffrey Sanders. Community of Faith includes a church and a school.
In their complaints, consumers alleged that they paid $230 to $550 for the school's degree program, but that the diplomas sold by Sanders and/or Community of Faith ultimately could not be used as represented. Specifically, they said they were told the degrees would be accepted by local community colleges, when in fact they were not.
The school, which DeWaine said was “non-chartered” was not registered with the state.
Students said they worked on study packets at home and online to get the degree offered by the school, which was allegedly represented as a high school or GED equivalent.
The attorney general's lawsuit charges Community of Faith with multiple violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act, including misrepresenting its services, entering into transactions knowing the consumer could not benefit and knowingly making misleading statements.
