33 suspects arrested in bogus degrees scandal
By Zhang Xuanchen |
June 21, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BEIJING police have arrested 33 people on suspicion of selling fake diplomas and degrees for a total of 7.97 million yuan (US$1.23 million). Of the 339 buyers, almost 200 were senior company executives.
Police said buyers paid prices ranging from 20,000 yuan to 190,000 yuan for academic credentials from bogus universities which adopted names similar to prestigious overseas colleges, yesterday's Beijing Times reported.
In most cases, no classes or tests were required before buyers were handed diplomas and college degrees that appeared authentic, with seals showing recognition from the phony colleges and China's Ministry of Education.
Some bogus colleges, however, held short-term classes and examinations, leading buyers to believe their diplomas were genuine.
However, all buyers were told their certificates were genuine and could help them gain an edge in a competitive job market. Some were even promised a refund if the degrees were found to be false.
If anyone raised questions about the service, staff would refer them to websites which showed how the colleges were organized and how the degrees were given. The web pages were in both English and Chinese to make them seem genuine, one of the suspects said, according to the Beijing Times report.
Last year, Tang Jun, president and chief executive officer of the Newhuadu Industrial Group Co, was involved in a fake diploma scandal.
Tang claimed he had a degree in computer science from the California Institute of Technology.
However, Tang later admitted he did not have a degree from Caltech, and asserted that he had never claimed to have received a degree there, but only conducted research there. He also admitted he had not been awarded a degree by Japan's Nagoya University.
Police said buyers paid prices ranging from 20,000 yuan to 190,000 yuan for academic credentials from bogus universities which adopted names similar to prestigious overseas colleges, yesterday's Beijing Times reported.
In most cases, no classes or tests were required before buyers were handed diplomas and college degrees that appeared authentic, with seals showing recognition from the phony colleges and China's Ministry of Education.
Some bogus colleges, however, held short-term classes and examinations, leading buyers to believe their diplomas were genuine.
However, all buyers were told their certificates were genuine and could help them gain an edge in a competitive job market. Some were even promised a refund if the degrees were found to be false.
If anyone raised questions about the service, staff would refer them to websites which showed how the colleges were organized and how the degrees were given. The web pages were in both English and Chinese to make them seem genuine, one of the suspects said, according to the Beijing Times report.
Last year, Tang Jun, president and chief executive officer of the Newhuadu Industrial Group Co, was involved in a fake diploma scandal.
Tang claimed he had a degree in computer science from the California Institute of Technology.
However, Tang later admitted he did not have a degree from Caltech, and asserted that he had never claimed to have received a degree there, but only conducted research there. He also admitted he had not been awarded a degree by Japan's Nagoya University.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
