Seven New York teenagers are accused in a cheating scam that allegedly paid a college student to impersonate students and take their SAT exams, officials said.
Six students at Great Neck North High School allegedly paid Emory University student Sam Eshaghoff, 19, of Great Neck to take the college-entry test for them, the New York Post reported Tuesday.
Eshaghoff, a 2010 Great Neck graduate, accepted payments of $1,500 to $2,500 per student, authorities said.
He was arrested and charged with a scheme to defraud, falsifying business records and criminal impersonation, and faces a possible four years in prison if convicted.
The six students who paid Eshaghoff face misdemeanor charges, authorities said.
The Nassau County District Attorney's Office said it is looking into allegations Eshaghoff also took the SAT exam for students at other high schools.
"Colleges look for the best and brightest students, yet these six defendants tried to cheat the system and may have kept honest and qualified students from getting into their dream school," District Attorney Kathleen Rice said. "These arrests should serve as a warning to those taking the SAT this Saturday that if you cheat, you can face serious criminal consequences."
Source: UPI