Alleged Harvard Fake Applied at The New Republic

(CBS)  Former Harvard student Adam Wheeler, 23, pleaded not guilty to charges that he lied to get into the Ivy League institution. Prosecutors claimed Tuesday in a Massachusetts court that those say those lies ultimately allowed him to steal $45,000 in grants, scholarship money, and financial aid.

John Verner, prosecutor, said in court Tuesday, "Since Mr. Wheeler began at Harvard, he has lived a life of lies and deceit."

Even after being caught and kicked out of Harvard, Wheeler actually tried to transfer to Brown University and Yale. His parents, who attended the hearing, forced their son to come clean, and notify Yale that he had been booted from Harvard.

Verner said, "If it wasn't for his parents' intervention, Mr. Wheeler's pathological behavior wouldn't have stopped."

Wheeler's behavior allegedly started on his Harvard application. Wheeler claimed he got a perfect 1,600 on his SAT, had attended the exclusive Phillips Academy prep school, and spent a year at MIT. CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano reported prosecutors say all claims are false.

Quijano added Wheeler recently applied for an internship at The New Republic magazine, claiming a 4.0 grade point average while at Harvard.

The New Republic is where rising star writer Stephen Glass was exposed for making things up in his articles.

Stephen Glass: I Lied For Esteem

But Steven Sussman, Wheeler's defense attorney, told reporters, "They are just allegations. Until we go to court and hear them out. He is presumed innocent."

Now, Wheeler is now facing 20 counts, including larceny, falsifying an endorsement, identity fraud, and pretending to hold a degree. Quijano added the four larceny charges are felony counts that each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

His next court appearance is on June 9.

[RatPackSixGun]

I hear that the Democratic National Committee sent staff attorneys to Cambridge to investigate vote fraud and file an appeal even before anyone had any clue what was actually said or done.

Hanging chads?!? No his name is Chad! Wait! What? His name is not Chad? There's no hanging chad? WSo, what are we doing here? Never mind, move along..

[TheConchRepublic]

He would be a perfect candidate for Faux News, his credentials there would be impeccable.

[RatPackSixGun]

Or right here at CBS for that matter.

Yellow journalism doesn't necessarily require educated credibility but we've seen plenty of it of late.

[delawareKing]

what didn't he fake a major in science? The fact that many dumb rich kids could get into those "soft" majors and successfully graduate means Adam Wheeler was just another form of being fake.

[SAMTORRES66]

This guy will make a great politician....

[dadirt]

40k, chump change compared to what the house and senate waste every second of every day. Fry the kid, reqard the politians.

[FauxNews]

He should tell the court it was "misplaced words" and then run for the Senate.

[krustykanuck]

Actually mjlewis6 he would be a liberal in training... The New Republic magazine where he applied for a job is a left-leaning publication. Stephen Glass would have been proud of Adam Wheeler. Stretching the truth and making up facts. Surprised he didn't apply to the Huffington Post or become a writer for the Daily Show.

[mjlewis6]

Probably a good Republican in training.

Ask Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, Senator Brown of Massachusettes...or that other aspiring public commentator, Dick Cheney. Phil Graham of Senatorial fame days of sponsoring legislation allowing the sale of derivatives OUTSIDE of SEC scrutiny...at the urging of ENRON, remember them? that caused the power crisis in California by manipulating the market and later crashing...Ken Lay's trial?

Oh, well, then...nothing like a war in the middle east to make money on with security firms and services no bid contracts with the military. This young man just needed a few buddies in the political feedlot of power.

[NYPD1966]

what does your post have to do with anything?....you are just a spiteful person

[stinger1z]

What a *******!

[Tony92870]

He should have told them he was an illegal alien wanting to claim his right to free (aka - paid by taxpayers) schooling. They would have let him stay and given him a welfare check too.

[novamba]

I have never met an illegal alien who got a welfare check (god knows there are plenty in South Florida). Don't you have to be at least a resident to get financial aid? I think you are just babbling.

[jgg000101]

how quickly you forget that aunt zetuni got public housing and free hip replacement surgery.