A knack for getting rich
Before starting the business, Yu was engaged in technical work in Zhongguan Village, China's Silicon Valley.
After seeing that many people had made money from opening fake schools, he decided to try it out for himself. "The business has existed in China for at least 10 years, and has already formed an industry chain," said Yu.
"For years, these people have built up a mature operation model," said Rao Mingdang, a procurator in Haidian.
The suspects set up an education organization or related consulting company, then hired employees to take charge of different responsibilities, such as recruiting students, arranging training classes, organizing examinations and giving away diplomas and certificates.
In order to recruit more students, Yu signed contracts with two other companies to attract students, hire teachers and organize exams independently.
Fakes everywhere
In addition to Yu's fake institution, many others survive in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, and attract students come from all over the country. According to one estimation, tens of thousands of people work in the industry.
Lax supervision has made it easier for people like Yu to get away with it. "Many people do not care about what they learn, but only about what kind of diploma they can get. If they can get a diploma from a foreign university in a short period then they will," said Yu.
From January to May of this year, the Haidian Procuratorate received seven cases related to fake foreign diplomas, valued at over 8 million yuan ($1.25 million).
A lack of honesty and a declining sense of social responsibility among Chinese people have helped this dirty industry grow. In a bid to get diplomas quickly, even intelligent people are choosing fake education to save money.
