CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A lawsuit is accusing the Charlotte School of Law of defrauding taxpayers out of $285 million by admitting unqualified students, then manipulating records to keep them enrolled so the school could collect their government-supported tuition.

The Charlotte Observer reports the lawsuit was filed by former professor Barbara Bernier. The lawsuit says the for-profit school, which closed last week, conspired with its owner to inflate enrollment and maximize profits. She also said the school lowered admissions and retention standards while misrepresenting both the state bar exam scores of their graduates and their success in finding jobs.

The complaint was filed in 2016 and became public this month.

A statement from school spokeswoman Victoria Taylor said it would "defend itself vigorously against the allegations in the complaint," but had no additional comment.

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Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com

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