In the media

The 2025 report by the Special Commissioner for Investigations (SCI) of the New York City School District highlights widespread cases of professional misconduct within the country’s largest school system. Last year, the SCI received nearly 12,000 complaints regarding fraud, abuse and financial misconduct, opening 471 investigations and closing 393. The report estimates that the Department of Education and the city’s pension schemes suffered losses of nearly $2 million.

An ABC investigation revealed large‑scale financial aid fraud in which scammers used stolen identities to enrol as “ghost students”. Once registered, they applied for grants and loans and vanished with the funds, leaving victims unknowingly burdened with debt. Officials report over 200 active investigations, with AI‑generated applications worsening the problem. Community colleges remain key targets due to open‑enrolment processes. In California alone, nearly a third of community college applicants in 2024 were flagged as fraudulent.

In Mexico, two former officials of a state Education Ministry have been charged with embezzlement and failure to fulfill legal duties for allegedly diverting approximately 290 million MXN (approx.16 million USD) from 2018–2021. Funds originally allocated for staff salaries and benefits were misused via trusts and a financial company.

The Paraguayan Education Ministry (MEC) suspended a nationwide teacher recruitment exam after more than 13,000 applicants reported widespread fraud in the previous test. Evidence presented by the National Directors’ Union (Sinadi) indicated that proctors and Ministry staff showed favoritism by assisting specific candidates in completing the exam, prompting calls for stricter oversight and accountability in recruitment practices.

Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Sydney reveal a global, organized network of academic fraud involving paper mills and collusive peer review. The investigation shows bulk-produced papers, paid authorships, citation trading, and editorial misconduct. The study highlights systemic issues in scientific publishing and calls for stronger review processes and fraud detection technologies incentives.

Financial aid fraud in the state of Georgia has risen from under 10 million USD to over 100 million USD annually, fueled by “ghost students” using stolen identities and phishing. Colleges are deploying multi-layered strategies, including AI-driven identity verification that analyzes behavioral patterns and blocks fraudulent applications – reducing fraud attempts by up to 85% – alongside administrative oversight to safeguard integrity, access, and public trust in higher education.

The former superintendent of Indiana Virtual School and Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy admitted to inflated enrollment, part of an alleged scheme defrauding the Indiana Department of Education. Federal prosecutors allege $44.6 million in fraud; a state lawsuit claims $154 million. This plea is a step towards recovering public funds from the significant education scandal, with total restitution set at $44.6 million.

Over the past twelve years, Haiti’s education system has deteriorated, with growing inequalities in schools and the closure of many institutions. This decline has been attributed to systemic corruption and nepotism within the government. The Anti-Corruption Unit has finalized reports exposing the misappropriation of public funds, illicit enrichment, and money laundering, among other crimes. This article delves into the widespread corruption within the National Education Fund, which continues to jeopardize the education of three million Haitian schoolchildren.

Across Canada, researchers in top universities have been caught falsifying data, plagiarizing work and manipulating their results. Research has shown that AI tools are making it easier for researchers to create fake findings. In 2024, over 13,000 academic papers were retracted worldwide because of it. However, experts say this is only a fraction of the fraud and many others are slipping through the system.

Since January 1st, 2025, a new law requires Californian school board members to undergo two hours of ethics training at least once every two years. This mandate also applies to school districts, county boards of education, and governing bodies of charter schools. The training covers topics such as legal issues, conflicts of interest, respect, and professional discourse.