FTC Names Additional Defendants in Student Loan Debt Relief Case

The Federal Trade Commission named five additional corporate defendants and two individuals in its ongoing case against a student loan debt relief operation.

In November 2024, the FTC filed its initial complaint against Nevada-based Superior Servicing and its operator, Dennise Merdjanian, alleging they pretended to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education and falsely promised student loan forgiveness, taking millions from student loan borrowers. In November, a federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze its assets at the request of the FTC, which is seeking a permanent ban on the defendants’ deceptive practices.

The amended complaint adds corporate defendants Sunrise Solutions USA LLC, Alumni Advantage LLC, Student Processing Center Group LLC, SPCTWO LLC, Accredit LLC and individual defendants Eric Caldwell and David Hernandez, alleging they work with Merdjanian to operate an unlawful debt relief operation through a maze of shifting corporate entities that prey on consumers with student loan debt. According to the complaint, the defendants falsely claim that they can help consumers erase their student-loan debt. In reality, the defendants take hundreds of dollars from consumers in illegal advance payments in exchange for virtually nothing, often leaving consumers even further in debt.

The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the second amended complaint was 4-0. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.