An investigation found that profit-seeking operators monetized the J‑1 cultural-exchange program—charging participants thousands in fees and diverting the program away from its educational mission. The reporting names sponsors and middlemen who benefited financially while placing young workers in U.S. jobs. Universities, summer-program providers and host employers that rely on J‑1 visas for interns and exchange students now face reputational and compliance risks. Federal and state regulators could tighten sponsor oversight, audit fee structures, and impose new documentation requirements. Campus international offices should review their J‑1 sponsorship chains and third-party vendors, tighten due diligence, and prepare for increased federal scrutiny of exchange-program finances and participant protections.