A 19-year-old Indian student studying in the US faces expulsion and deportation following the revelation that his entire application, including documents for a full scholarship, was fraudulent. The deception was uncovered after a Reddit moderator flagged a post titled "I have built my life and career on lies," where the student, Aryan Anand, confessed to fabricating details such as his father's death to secure full scholarship.
Aryan Anand enrolled at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in August 2023 as a first-year student. However, his admission was rescinded this year after it was discovered that he had forged his father's death certificate. He pleaded guilty to forgery on June 12 and was sentenced to one to three months in Northampton County Prison, which his defense attorney, Molly Heidorn, stated was equivalent to time already served, as reported by LehighValleyLive News.
As part of the plea agreement, Anand agreed to return to India, and Lehigh University opted not to seek restitution of $85,000 (approximately Rs 70 lakh). Charges of theft and tampering with records were dropped after Anand's initial arrest and charge on April 30, as per the news release.
The Indian student in the US admitted to fabricating transcripts, financial documents, and a death certificate for his father as part of his scheme, according to a statement from District Attorney Stephen Baratta's office.
The release also noted that the 19-year-old had created a fraudulent email address to impersonate a school principal.
Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Michael Weinert highlighted the crucial role of the moderator in uncovering Anand's actions.
"The defendant only had one other university that he followed, which was Lehigh University. So, the moderator actually reached out to Lehigh to give them a heads up," Weinert explained.
Lehigh University expressed appreciation for the notification and subsequent investigation.
"We appreciate the report to our ethics hotline and the diligent investigation by the Lehigh University Police Department that led to Aryan Anand's arrest," the university stated, as reported by ABC News.
