Alta Colleges Inc., the parent company of Westwood College in Fort Worth, Texas, will pay the U.S. government $7 million for allegedly submitting false claims for federal student aid funds.  Alta’s Texas colleges were accused of misrepresenting compliance with professional licensing and state job-placement reporting requirements.

The federal suit was initially filed by unnamed whistleblowers who will receive $1.19 million in the settlement.

Alta’s chief executive, George Burnett released a statement to faculty and staff explaining that the, “company had acted lawfully, but had settled because of the time and expense associated with litigation.” Alta Colleges is headquartered in Denver and owns 19 campuses in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Texas and Virginia.

The suit was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, while the coordinated effort of the Civil Division of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas reached the final settlement.