Two years before U.S. authorities shut down Tri-Valley University, in California, the American consulate in Mumbai conducted an investigation into student visas, according to a December 2009 U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, reports The Economic Times. Tri-Valley, which enrolled mostly Indian students, is accused of exploiting U.S. government regulations to commit visa fraud.

The cable says consular officials in the Indian city expressed concern about Tri-Valley and the increase in visa applications, generally from poorly qualified Indian students. “Many of these applicants state that they found the school on the Internet, but when pressed during the interview acknowledged that they applied based on a local recruiting agent’s presentation,” the cable said.

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi reported in August that visa applications from Indian students were up sharply. And several American colleges say they have seen an uptick in visa denials among Indian students seeking to study at their institutions.