A 19-year-old international student from India has been arrested for fabricating documents to secure a full scholarship at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Aryan Anand, who was attending classes as a freshman, is now facing multiple charges including forgery, tampering with records, and theft by deception.
The elaborate scheme unraveled when Anand anonymously confessed to his fraudulent activities in a Reddit post titled “I have built my life and career on lies.”
“I just wanted freedom at any cost, and if I could go to college without even spending a penny of my parents’ money, only then I could get that,” he wrote.
A moderator on the platform alerted university officials, prompting an investigation by the Lehigh University Police Department.
Authorities discovered that Anand had created a web of falsehoods to gain admission and financial aid. He allegedly forged transcripts, financial documents, and even a death certificate for his father, who is actually alive and residing in India. Anand also impersonated a school principal by creating fake email addresses and manipulating official-looking seals and stamps.
He also claimed to have secured an internship with a falsified resume, presenting himself as a third-year marketing student.
Lehigh University has since canceled Anand’s admission, and he was arrested on April 30, 2024.
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