Student Loan Pro, Judith Noh, Syed Faisal Gilani, and FNZA Marketing, LLC
On March 16, 2021, the Bureau filed a lawsuit against Student Loan Pro, a California sole proprietorship that telemarketed and provided debt-relief services focused on federal student-loan debt; Judith Noh, its owner; and Syed Gilani, its manager and owner-in-fact. The Bureau also named as a relief defendant FNZA Marketing, LLC (FNZA), a California company nominally owned by Noh and controlled by Gilani. The Bureau alleges that Student Loan Pro conducted a student-loan debt-relief business from 2015 through 2019 that charged about 3,300 consumers with federal student-loan debt approximately $3.5 million in illegal upfront fees in violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), to file paperwork on their behalf to apply for programs that were available to them for free from the United States Department of Education. The Bureau alleges that Noh and Gilani are individually liable for and substantially assisted Student Loan Pro’s violations of the TSR. The Bureau also alleges that FNZA was the recipient of some portion of the unlawful advance fees obtained by Student Loan Pro without legitimate claim to the funds. In its complaint, the Bureau seeks redress to consumers, appropriate injunctive relief, and the imposition of civil money penalties against Student Loan Pro, Noh, and Gilani, and seeks to have FNZA disgorge the funds it received from Student Loan Pro.
On December 3, 2024, the Bureau filed a proposed stipulated judgment resolving the Bureau’s claims against Noh and Student Loan Pro, which the court entered on December 9, 2024, that permanently bars Noh and Student Loan Pro from offering or providing consumer financial products or services, doing business with Gilani, or using or selling any Student Loan Pro customer information. It also requires Noh to take the necessary steps to dissolve both Student Loan Pro and FNZA and requires Noh and Student Loan Pro to pay a civil money penalty of $2,000 based on a demonstrated inability to pay.
On December 18, 2024, the court approved the Bureau’s dismissal of its claims against relief defendant FNZA.
On January 6, 2025, the Bureau filed a motion to amend the judgment against Noh and Student Loan Pro to account for a larger amount of illegal upfront fees charged by Student Loan Pro. On January 23, 2025, the Bureau filed a motion for summary judgment against Gilani. Following a stay of the case, the parties refiled briefing on the motion to amend Noh’s stipulation and order and the Bureau’s motion for summary judgment as to Giliani. The two motions are fully briefed and remain pending.
Related document
Stipulated Judgment and Order – Noh and Student Loan Pro
Dismissal – Relief Defendant FNZA Marketing, LLC
Press release
CFPB Takes Action Against Operators of An Unlawful Student Loan Debt-Relief Scheme
CFPB Bans Student Loan Pro and Owner for Fee Harvesting Scheme