Music teacher facing criminal charges for fake credentials

Music teacher facing criminal charges for fake credentials

2026-11-13

An adjunct instructor who taught at an award-winning elementary school music program in Tainan for 13 years was recently reported on suspicion of forging a diploma from Taipei National University of the Arts. The school sent an inquiry to the university for clarification, and was told they have no record of the individual on file. When confronted later that day, the teacher admitted to forging the diploma and promptly resigned. Given that the deception lasted for over a decade, city education officials have ordered a comprehensive audit of the faculty and have filed a criminal forgery complaint with prosecutors.

This elementary school music program in Tainan has many awards to its name, making its recent discovery of fraud all the more shocking. This university diploma looks genuine, but was found to have been forged by a teacher at the school.

School staffer
Discovered diploma fraud
We immediately called the registrar at Taipei National University of the Arts to verify it. After three days, they told us there was no student record under that name.

After receiving a tipoff in late September, the school contacted TNUA, which confirmed the diploma to be false. When confronted, the teacher confessed immediately and resigned. He said that since Taiwan at the time would not recognize his degree from China’s Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, he forged the credentials to get a job. Although he said he was willing to return all compensation, given his 13-year tenure, the city’s Bureau of Education intervened.

Chien Wen-ta
Tainan Bureau of Education official
We’ve ordered the school to conduct a comprehensive audit of hiring records, academic credentials, and hourly wage disbursements, and to retain all relevant evidence. As for the alleged document forgery, a criminal complaint has been filed with prosecutors.

Colleagues who have worked alongside the teacher for years were shocked at the revelation, saying nothing about his teaching had ever raised suspicion. Parents were also in disbelief.

- We reviewed it.
- So you couldn’t tell that the diploma was fake?
- No. It had a serial number, along with his ID number on top and his date of birth.

Voice of a student’s parent
Shocked at fraud revelation
We only experienced his hard work and all his positive qualities. But since he told such a big lie, it ends up erasing all the good that came before it.

A single fake diploma sustained this deception for over a decade. In response, the school has initiated a comprehensive audit of faculty credentials and has retained legal counsel to determine all compensation disbursed to the teacher in preparation for a lawsuit. In the meantime, two teachers with verified master’s degrees have been brought in to take over the affected classes.

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