BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A 19-year-old Indian student, Aryan Anand, has been deported after admitting to faking his father's death, forging transcripts, and using ChatGPT to secure a full scholarship to Lehigh University. The elaborate scheme was revealed through a Reddit post and led to his arrest and deportation.
Key Details
- Aryan Anand faked documents and used AI to secure a scholarship to Lehigh University.
- He was arrested and charged with multiple felonies after admitting his fraud on Reddit.
- Anand was deported to India following a plea deal that dropped some charges.
Aryan Anand, a freshman at Lehigh University, confessed on social media to creating a fake death certificate for his father and forging academic transcripts to receive a scholarship. He used ChatGPT to write his college essays and targeted U.S. schools that offered financial aid.
Anand's scheme was exposed when he detailed his actions in a Reddit post, which has since been deleted.
Anand's fraudulent activities didn't stop at his college application. He admitted to cheating on exams, fabricating a resume, and obtaining a part-time job illegally while on a student visa. A Reddit moderator flagged his posts, leading to his identification and arrest by university police on April 30.
Charged with forgery, theft by deception, and tampering with records, Anand pleaded guilty to forgery on June 12. In a plea deal, he agreed to return to India, and Lehigh University waived the restitution of $85,000. The other charges were dropped.
"I have built my life and career on lies," Anand confessed on Reddit, explaining his fraudulent actions.
Aryan Anand's case has shocked the academic community, highlighting the lengths some may go to secure educational opportunities. His deportation and the fallout from his actions serve as a stark reminder of the importance of integrity.
This incident also underscores the need for rigorous verification processes in university admissions, particularly impacting the Indian and South Asian communities in the U.S.