THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, February 7, 1997              TAG: 9702070612
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                          LENGTH:   19 lines

PELL GRANT FRAUD

The owner of cosmetology schools in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia has pleaded guilty to defrauding a federal education funding program.

Irving Lawrence Bernfeld, 46, of Alexandria pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud after he failed to refund school grants after about 40 students dropped out, U.S. Attorney Helen Fahey said Thursday.

The Department of Education makes Pell grants available to low-income students for schooling after high school. If a student drops out, the school is required to refund an appropriate portion of the Pell grant. MEMO: Compiled from The Associated Press