An Arizona man has admitted to bribing three Liberian diplomats between 2002 and 2004 to arrange for Liberia’s accreditation of Saint Regis University, a Washington state-based “diploma mill” that sold phony college degrees over the Internet, including to some Georgia educators. (“Educators’ Degrees Earned On Internet Raise Fraud Issues,” May 5, 2004.)
Under a plea deal with federal prosecutors in Spokane, Wash., last week, Richard J. Novak may face 10 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines for his part in a conspiracy to commit fraud.