Two suspected of selling fake degrees freed on bail

by Aizat Sharif

mmail

A COUPLE, arrested for selling fake bachelor, masters degrees and PhD certificates, have been released under police bail recently after their remand ended on July 28.

The 37-year-old “doctor”, a director of the company linked with the production of the certificates and a 36-year-old woman assistant who acted as an agent who sells the certificates, were released after police completed their interrogation.

diploma fraud

Selangor deputy police chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan said police are now waiting for the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s decision whether to charge them or not.

“So far, 40 out of 525 ‘graduates’ have come forward to facilitate the investigation and all of them were from various backgrounds from all walks of society,” said Thaiveegan.

It was learnt that the graduates comprised mostly of those from the private sector such as businessmen and executives.

Thaiveegan said that the couple’s release does not mean that the probe has been completed.

“Investigations are still ongoing and we hope the remaining ‘graduates’ will come forward and help us.” he said.

It was reported that the syndicate, which has been active since 2003, has sold up to RM5million worth of fake certificates and degrees. The company offered RM6,500 for a bachelor’s degree, a masters for RM8,500 and a PhD for RM10,500.

The couple’s arrest was the result of a report by the Higher Education Ministry and a recent report in a Malay daily exposing the syndicate.

This article was written by Aizat Sharif  and originally published on mmail