authorities investigate california "sham university"

In California, authorities are coming down hard on Indian students who were enrolled in a "sham university" which was apparently a front for illegal immigration: Feds probe Calif. 'sham university' for visa fraud.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Susan Su, the owner of Tri-Valley University in Pleasonton used the unaccredited "school" to charge millions of dollars in tuition fees and help students obtain visas to stay in the country:

The U.S. attorney's office alleges the owner of Tri-Valley University in Pleasanton used the unaccredited school to charge foreigners millions of dollars in tuition fees and help them obtain student visas to stay in the U.S.

Officials at Tri-Valley did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

There were 1,555 students enrolled at Tri-Valley last fall and about 95 percent of them were from India, according to a complaint filed Jan. 19 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

Many of those students, who took Tri-Valley courses online, could be deported if they are found to be in violation of their immigration status.

Indian officials are asking that the students be allowed to transfer to other U.S. universities or be allowed to return to India without being deported, which would prevent them from returning to the U.S. and hurt their employment prospects back home.

UPDATE: More on the Tri-Valley University case here: Immigration Officials: Tri-Valley U. and Students Involved in Visa Scam.