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::''The subject of this article should not be confused with Regis University of Denver, Colorado.'' Saint Regis University was a diploma mill operation that was one of about 120 connected institutions operated by an American fraud ring from about 1999 until 2005, when it was shut down by U.S. government authorities.〔(Diploma Mill Concerns Extend Beyond Fraud ), by Diana Jean Schemo, The New York Times, June 29, 2008〕 The Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization identified Saint Regis University as a diploma mill linked to 18 other front "schools".〔("List of unaccredited schools and diploma mills" ) Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization, 2006〕 The school issued degrees based on "life experience" instead of requiring the taking of actual academic classes or a formal course of study. It sold both college degrees and high school diplomas. In 2006 the Associated Press reported that "at least 135 federal employees" held bogus degrees from the Saint Regis operation. This included a White House staffer, a State Department employee in Kuwait, and a Department of Justice employee in Spokane, Washington. ==Operation and history== In November 2005, ''Times Higher Education'' noted that prosecutors discovered the university formed part of an elaborate online scam masterminded by a former estate agent called "Dixie". Furthermore, "Dixie Ellen Randock, her husband, Steven Karl Randock Sr, and six alleged accomplices were indicted after a US Secret Service sting. Experts say the group was one of the biggest fish in the booming $1 billion (£584 million) a year phony degree and diploma-granting racket."〔〔"Federal Officials Raid Homes in 3 States in Crackdown on Diploma Mill" by Thomas Bartlett, (Chronicle of Higher Education, Aug 15, 2005 )〕 The ring began operating in 1999 and during its time in operation sold more than $6 million worth of phony high school diplomas and undergraduate and graduate degrees to people in more than 130 countries. In addition to Saint Regis, the ring operated under the names of Ameritech University, Pan America University, James Monroe University, James Monroe High School, All Saints American University and New Manhattan University.〔Strauss, Valerie, "(Hundreds Linked to Diploma Mill )", ''Washington Post'', July 31, 2008, Pg. B1.〕 Dixie E. and Stephen K. Randock Sr. were indicted in October 2005 on charges of conspiring to commit fraud and laundering nearly $2 million in diploma mill receipts from 2002 to 2005.〔 Dixie E. Randock, Steven K. Randock, Heidi Kae Lorhan, and Blake Carlson entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in a U.S. District Court in Washington in March 2008.〔"Husband, daughter of Spokane diploma mill operator enter pleas" Seattle Times (March 27, 2008 ) Seattle Times〕〔"3 Operators of Major Diploma-Mill Chain Plead Guilty to Fraud Charges" by Thomas Bartlett (chronicle of Higher Education, April 4, 2008 )〕 In July 2008 Dixie Randock was sentenced to three years in prison. Her daughter was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, and Randock's husband was scheduled to be sentenced August 5, 2008. Others involved were to be sentenced later in 2008.〔 On 31 January 2007, the New York City Department of Investigation reported that several members of the New York City Fire Department had used "phony degrees" from St. Regis University in order to qualify for promotions.〔(Report Says 14 in Fire Dept. Used Fake Degrees ), New York Times, February 1, 2007〕〔(The City of New York Department of Investigation news release ), January 31, 2007〕 Fourteen firefighters received disciplinary fines as a result.〔(The City of New York Department of Investigation news release ), September 7, 2007〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Saint Regis University」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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