A federal grand jury is seeking information surrounding accusations the wife of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Jane Sanders, defrauded a bank during her time as president to Burlington College, according to a report.
“They’re trying to pull together where did the money come from to enable Burlington College to convince [People’s United Bank] and the diocese to go ahead with the deal,” Robin Lloyd, former trustee to Burlington College, told the Burlington Free Press.
Paul Van de Graaf, the chief of the criminal division for the U.S. attorneys’ office in Vermont, reportedly questioned Lloyd about the money.
Federal investigators were previously conducting interviews in Florida surrounding the accusations.
Lloyd told the publication she was questioned on Oct. 27., showing the investigation was still active late last year.
Burlington College ceased operations in May 2016 after failing to meet accreditation standards and falling into bankruptcy. Sanders served as president from 2004-2011, during which time the school took on $10 million in debt as part of a plan to expand the school.
In a 2010 loan application Sanders said the college had $2.6 million in donations coming in to pay for purchased land, however, only $676,00 in donations came through over the next four years, leading the college into bankruptcy in May 2016.
