Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has reportedly opened an investigation into several universities at the center of a college admissions bribery scandal.
Politico, citing individuals familiar with the investigation, reported Monday that the Department of Education is looking into whether the universities broke laws or rules "governing the Federal student financial aid programs" or "any other applicable laws."
Earlier this month, federal prosecutors charged dozens of people allegedly implicated in a scheme to buy admission to eight universities including Yale University, Stanford University and UCLA. The scandal involved several celebrities and CEOs, who allegedly payed money to ensure their children were accepted into the schools.
The Education Department sent letters to the presidents of Yale, UCLA, Stanford, Wake Forest University, the University of San Diego, Georgetown University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Southern California informing them that the universities faced a "preliminary investigation" stemming from the scandal, according to Politico.
Politico also reported that the universities could face penalties if the department concludes that they violated federal education regulations. Those penalties could include eliminating a school's ability to access Pell Grants and federal student loans, according to Politico.
"The allegations made and evidence cited by the Department of Justice raise questions about whether your institution is fully meeting its obligations," an official with the department wrote in the letters, per Politico.