New Mexico Highlands University is facing a criminal investigation initiated by the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s office over allegations of fraud and forgery. The investigation follows a period of intense scrutiny after the Board of Regents placed then-president Neil Woolf on leave and the state auditor launched a special audit. The district attorney cited allegations involving a men’s head basketball coach employment contract and a purportedly falsified federal immigration form I-20. Woolf’s departure has also been tied to internal disputes, including claims about steering state funds for a track facility to a contractor. The case underscores the operational and compliance pressure on universities when governance breakdowns and document integrity questions emerge simultaneously, especially those involving immigration paperwork that can impact student status and federal compliance obligations.