Aryan Anand, an international student from India and former freshman at Lehigh University, is facing multiple charges after allegedly faking his father’s death to obtain a scholarship.
19-year-old Anand was attending Lehigh University on a full scholarship.
However, in 2024, his admission was cancelled after officials discovered that he had fabricated documents, including a death certificate, transcripts, financial aid forms, and tax and income statements, to falsely claim his father’s death.
Discovery and Investigation
The fraudulent activity came to light after a Reddit moderator notified the university about a post titled, “I have built my life and career on lies.”
The now deleted post, confirmed to be written by Anand, triggered an investigation by the Lehigh University Police Department.
It was found that Anand’s father was alive and residing in India.
Legal Proceedings
Anand was arrested on April 30, 2024, and charged with forgery, tampering with records, theft by deception, and theft of services.
He was arraigned with bail set at $25,000. During a preliminary hearing on May 14, Anand waived his right to a hearing, moving his charges to the Court of Common Pleas.
On June 12, Anand negotiated a plea deal, pleading guilty to one count of forgery and agreeing to return to India.
He is currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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