Paraguay's Education Ministry rocked by 30-year fake diploma scheme investigation

In Paraguay, obtaining a university degree may have become as simple as contacting someone with access to the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC) diploma registration system. For nearly three decades, a "factory" for fake titles has allegedly operated within the MEC, allowing individuals to acquire degrees in fields like law, medicine, or teaching without ever attending a university class.

The Fiscalía, Paraguay's public prosecutor's office, is currently investigating the origin of around 525 suspected fake diplomas. While other similar cases are ongoing, these specific instances were reported on June 15 by the Minister of Education, Luis Ramírez. The oldest fake title identified by the Fiscalía dates back to 2000, and the most recent to 2019, though prosecutors acknowledge that older or newer fraudulent documents may still be uncovered.

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That does not mean that we do not have or will not discover documents from other years, older or more current.

Investigators have visited the MEC's IT department to identify users with access to the title registration system, track operation times, and gather data on uploaded documents. Prosecutor Teresa Sosa explained that the scheme allegedly involved using the active accounts of employees who had been transferred to other government agencies or were on leave. "We need to know why these accounts remained active if the employees were supposedly no longer with the MEC," Sosa stated. "It is assumed that when one leaves the entity, this should be suspended."

An internal audit by the MEC revealed that diplomas were digitally registered outside of regular office hours or on non-working days, resulting in 130,000 illegal movements within the system. The investigation also found that 95% of the fake titles used the seal of the Universidad Autónoma de Asunción (UAA). However, the university claims no knowledge of or data regarding the individuals listed on these fraudulent academic credentials.

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We need to know why these accounts remained active if the employees were supposedly no longer with the MEC. It is assumed that when one leaves the entity, this should be suspended.