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| Chinese nationals accused of taking SATs for others | Chinese nationals accused of taking SATs for others |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The US Department of Justice has charged 15 Chinese nationals with developing a scheme to have imposters take university entrance exams. | The US Department of Justice has charged 15 Chinese nationals with developing a scheme to have imposters take university entrance exams. |
| Prosecutors said suspects used fake passports to trick administrators into allowing people other than legitimate test takers to sit the exams. | Prosecutors said suspects used fake passports to trick administrators into allowing people other than legitimate test takers to sit the exams. |
| The scheme took place between 2011 and 2015 mostly in western Pennsylvania, authorities said. | The scheme took place between 2011 and 2015 mostly in western Pennsylvania, authorities said. |
| Those charged could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. | Those charged could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. |
| The counterfeit test takers sat for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) - a major university entrance exam in the US - as well as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (Toefl) and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Justice Department said. | The counterfeit test takers sat for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) - a major university entrance exam in the US - as well as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (Toefl) and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Justice Department said. |
| The scheme's beneficiaries "fraudulently obtained admissions to American institutions of higher education," said US Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania David Hickton. | |
| The prosecutor said that the students also cheated student visa requirements by using counterfeit Chinese passports. | The prosecutor said that the students also cheated student visa requirements by using counterfeit Chinese passports. |
| Special Agent in Charge John Kelleghan for Homeland Security Investigations of Philadelphia said: "These students were not only cheating their way into the university, they were also cheating their way through our nation's immigration system". | Special Agent in Charge John Kelleghan for Homeland Security Investigations of Philadelphia said: "These students were not only cheating their way into the university, they were also cheating their way through our nation's immigration system". |
| The defendants could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 (£163,000) or both for each of the wire and mail fraud counts they face. Additionally, they face five years on top that for the conspiracy charges. | The defendants could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 (£163,000) or both for each of the wire and mail fraud counts they face. Additionally, they face five years on top that for the conspiracy charges. |