Tutor Pleads Not Guilty In O.C. School Hacker Scandal

NEWPORT BEACH (AP) — A tutor at the center of an alleged high school grade-changing scandal has pleaded not guilty to computer fraud and commercial burglary.

The Orange County Register says Timothy Lance Lai entered pleas Tuesday to five felony counts and faces up to five years and eight months in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors say the Irvine man was working as a private tutor last year when he broke into a building at Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach and planted keylogging devices on computers.

Authorities say that information was used to break into the school's computer system, steal exams and change the grades of three students.

Eleven students who were also allegedly involved in hacking the system were expelled.