Indian student fakes father’s death and documents to get US university scholarship; he is to be deported

A 19-year-old Indian student was expelled from a US university and asked to leave the country after it was discovered that his application, which included a scholarship he had “won,” was based on fraud.

The incident came to light when he wrote on Reddit that he had “built his life and career on lies.” In the post, the student admitted that the documents he submitted for admission to the university were fake.

The student, according to a report by India today, faked his father’s death in order to get a full scholarship.

The student had been enrolled at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, since last year and had completed his first year, but his admission was revoked after the fraud came to light, the report said.

Earlier this month, the student pleaded guilty to forgery following his arrest in April and was sentenced to one to three months in the Northampton County Jail, equivalent to time already served.

As part of his elaborate fraud plan, the student had forged financial documents, certificates and a fake death certificate of his father.

The university dropped the charges of theft and forgery when the student agreed to return to India. The institute also decided against refunding nearly Rs 70 lakh.

He also reportedly created a fake email address to pose as a school principal.

Closer to home, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned the public about fake online programs using acronyms similar to the nomenclature of recognized degrees, highlighting a particular “10-day MBA” course, officials said.

“Some individuals or organizations are offering online programs and courses in an abbreviated form, which are similar to the recognized degree programs of the higher education system. One such program that has been brought to the attention of the Commission is a ’10-day MBA’,” said Manish Joshi, Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC).