"Born in 2010"... 28-Year-Old Woman Arrested for Posing as High School Student

Student ID Issued With Fake Name and Date of Birth

Police Investigating Possible Welfare Benefit Fraud

In the United States, a woman in her twenties was arrested after attempting to enroll in high school by pretending to be a teenage student.

On the 6th (local time), U.S. media outlets such as the New York Post reported that 28-year-old Casey Clasen registered at Westchester Square Academy in the Bronx, New York, under the name "Shamara Rashad" last month and attended classes for about two weeks before being discovered.

Clasen reportedly told the school that she was born in 2010 and had moved to New York from Ohio with her older sister. She even received a student ID card with the fake name and age and lived as if she were a real student. However, after school officials sensed something was off in her behavior, the principal personally began verifying her identity and ultimately uncovered the truth.

Westchester Square Academy in the Bronx, New York. The Guardian

During the investigation, school officials found Clasen's actual social media account, which indicated that Clasen was born in July 1997. Several photos of a young girl, presumed to be her daughter, were also posted. However, authorities have not yet confirmed whether the child is actually Clasen's daughter.

Clasen was arrested on campus on the 27th of last month. She has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, trespassing, and identity theft. In a police investigation, Clasen admitted to using a false identity, claiming that she enrolled in school to help a friend receive public assistance benefits.

The police are focusing their investigation on the possibility that Clasen was attempting to commit welfare benefit fraud. However, they have not disclosed specifically what type of benefits she was seeking.

The New York City Department of Education stated, "Enrollment fraud is a serious crime that undermines the value of our public school system," adding, "Police are actively investigating related allegations and will take appropriate legal action against those responsible."

Recently in the United States, there has been a series of cases where individuals steal others' personal information to register for online classes or schools and then collect financial aid. In particular, so-called "ghost student" fraud has emerged as a social issue at community colleges, where admissions are less competitive and tuition is relatively low.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.