UGA Student’s Father Arrested For Faking Residence For In-State Tuition, Faces Decades In Prison

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Out-of-state tuition is a tough pill to swallow for many parents. Justifying the tens of thousands of dollars it requires to enroll your kid in any semi-respectable college or university outside of your state’s borders is a major financial decision.

The father of a University of Georgia student from Virginia was arrested recently after it was discovered that he was faking his residency in Georgia in order to receive the in-state discount. Somehow, police discovered the man had another child who was eligible for in-state tuition in Virginia, and it set off a red flag. They soon discovered that an apartment he rented in Athens, which he claimed as his legal residence, was rarely used. It had minimum water usage and conflicted with the tax forms submitted to the state.

From Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The investigation showed minimal water usage at the apartment and the electronic access showed he had only used the apartment 90 out of 400 days, Williamson said.

The daughter has since left the university. Police aren’t pursing charges against her. Her social media postings show an enthusiastic Bulldog while in Athens.

“The father took full responsibility in providing the documents to the daughter,” Williamson said. “By the law, they both could have been charged but the daughter probably only did what the father told her to do.”

The man has since paid the $37,000 he owed the university. However, he is facing four charges of felony theft, along with another charge of false swearing. If convicted of all counts, he could face a total of 45 years in prison.

I applaud his “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality, but the dumbass had to have known he’d be caught eventually. Either way, his daughter is no longer enrolled at UGA, and he’s facing many years confined with his friendly neighborhood armed robbers. Was it worth it?

[via Atlanta-Journal Constitution]

Image via University of Georgia Admissions

  1. HazePledges

    This guy is going is facing 45 years for sending his kid to college. That’s fucking pathetic.

    10 years ago at 1:44 pm
  2. Awful_Pledge_Name

    Why not send the other child to a school in Georgia then too? The guy didn’t think this plan through to well…

    10 years ago at 1:46 pm
  3. FreedomandFratting

    Meanwhile illegals are getting free education wherever the fuck they can get into college. Thanks, Obama.

    10 years ago at 1:48 pm
    1. DukeSilver

      In Maryland you can be a known illegal immigrant and instead of getting deported, you get in-state tuition at state schools. It’s disgusting.

      10 years ago at 1:59 pm
  4. Fratrick II

    It’s a damn shame that we waste taxpayer dollars on ridiculously long prison sentences like this.

    10 years ago at 1:52 pm
  5. Cockmeatsandwich

    They are probably trying to make an example out of him. Sucks for him because there are a lot of people doing the exact same thing as him.

    10 years ago at 2:02 pm
  6. Rocky Fratboa

    Being liquid enough to pay the $37000 on the spot but still trying for the discount. TFM.

    10 years ago at 2:03 pm
  7. tuffy11111

    Yeah, because THAT’S the way you do it. Make yourself liable. So many legal ways to set that up and get in state tuition.

    10 years ago at 3:36 pm
  8. RonSwansonTFM

    “This is why I believe government simply shouldn’t exist. Afterall, no government is better than an ineffective one.”

    10 years ago at 4:04 pm
  9. GoonSquad

    He won’t get 45 years. He’ll probably get something closer to a ridiculous amount of community service along with an extended period of unsupervised probation. Along with fines and the expenses of a very good lawyer.

    10 years ago at 5:31 pm