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Robyn Ryan's avatar

Like University of Phoenix?

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Robyn Ryan's avatar

And Jesus. Never lose sight of the fact that this is part of the war between various sects of Islam. Just like the Troubles in Ireland is between two Christian sects. Which is pretty much the history of Europe, 1500-present.

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insert_something_creative's avatar

Sure, but there are online programs at schools that are more legit than that too. I had a friend doing a data science masters through Texas A&M (we live in California) that was entirely online aside from going to a proctoring center of some sort (I forget what it was called) for tests

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RawrIhavePi's avatar

But even students who did realize it was a scam and transferred out were also arrested.

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Dr. Rrrrrobotnik's avatar

Entrapment is where the government arrests you for illegal activity it itself orchestrated or created. Here, the people ICE arrested weren't committing a crime, the crime had already been committed.

It's the equivalent of luring out a fugitive by telling them they won a fake lottery. It's a dirty trick but it's not illegal. Whether it's smart, moral, or efficient to bring in people effectively accused of a misdemeanor this way is a separate issue.

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Reality Bytes's avatar

Wait, we’re upset that people who were gaming the system in order to stay in the US got caught? When they could have followed the rules and enrolled in a legit school instead?

I’m no rocket surgeon but I’m confident I would realize that something was amiss with a school where I did no coursework or exams. That’s the key part here, not the lack of a physical plant.

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Mr Canoehead/M Tête-Canoë's avatar

If they were getting paid to prevent terrorism instead of to catch terrorists, it'd be different.

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Mr Canoehead/M Tête-Canoë's avatar

Well, "Mustangs" is gender-neutral, right?

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Paniq! At Disqus's avatar

Yes, but in your analogy, are the State Lottery Boards certifying the fake lottery? I would focus on this as saying this had every appearance of being legitimate and the people involved thought this was a way to help bring them back into compliance with the law. They offered a false remedy to the crime.

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Dr. Rrrrrobotnik's avatar

We're a country that *celebrates* gaming the system in most circumstances: tax avoidance is openly encouraged and facilitated. And here the only benefit was to continue living in the country, which doesn't exactly rank high on the scale of nefarious-ness.

They did it likely because it presented itself as an easy means to stay in the country legally, a godsend to someone in that situation. The government cynically took advantage of their desperation and caught them at immense expense. Well done us.

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Dr. Rrrrrobotnik's avatar

It doesn't matter, unfortunately. The school was the lure to catch them and isn't the reason for their arrest, thus it isn't entrapment.

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Opalescent Riddles's avatar

An accreditation agency that was working with the U.S. on its sting operation also listed the university as legitimate.What the absolute fuck?

How it should have happened:ICE: Can we get your help in our sting operation?Accreditor: Tell me more.ICE: We're setting up a fake school and we want to say you've accredited it.Accreditor: Tell me more.ICE: And plus, we want you to list our school in your database of accredited schools on your website.Accreditor: Sure, no problem, when it all comes out that we accredited a fake school and helped entrap students who committed the audacious crime of wanting an education, that should have absolutely no affect on public perception of the legitimacy of either ourselves or any of the other schools we've accredited. ICE: So you'll do it?Accreditor: NO, dumbass, we won't fucking do it. Get the fuck out of here with that shit.

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Reality Bytes's avatar

I don’t cheat on my taxes. I suspect most commenters here don’t either.

I agree that paying $ not to attend classes or do coursework is easier, sure. But it’s not like that was their only option.

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Dr. Rrrrrobotnik's avatar

Tax avoidance and tax dodging aren't the same thing. The latter sent Al Capone to jail. The former employs entire law and accounting firms to find ways for the company to pay zero taxes despite earning billions.

And there's a but-for here: would they have done it differently had they not relied on this fake program, designed entirely to play on their desperation?

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geobill's avatar

So they had to manufacture illegal status for these students. I can't help but think that without U of F in the picture, the students would have still sought out a school to continue their education and keep their visas. They just would have landed on, you know, a real college.

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