Student Says Community College Cash-for-Grades Scheme May Have Involved Sex

Sex May Have Been Part of Cash-for-Grades Scheme

In what sounds like a scheme straight out of the movie 'Slackers,' police are now saying sex may have been involved in a ring of students at Diablo Valley Community College who were said to have charged classmates about $600 per grade to change the final marks on their transcripts at the school's registrar.

Police have been investigating the ring of cheating for about 16 months. They said the students orchestrated a cash-for-grades system, where students who worked in the office would change the grades on the transcript for a charge.

About 84 students were believed to have been involved in suspiciously changing more than 400 grades. Since May, about 20 students have been cleared of all charges. The rest could face charges from real police for falsifying records.

A student was reported to have come forward and said that sometimes sex was exchanged in lieu of cash for the grades.

Police say the scam now dates back to 2000, and many of the students have transferred to four-year colleges using the transcripts.