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According to 8daysLi was sentenced to 240 days in jail, reduced from the original 300-day term, with 40 days to be served separately from the 200-day sentence. The court determined that her actions did not affect the admission of any other candidates, and her defense attorney pleaded for leniency, citing her remorse and the lack of evidence suggesting that the fraudulent documents were used for personal financial gain.

In 2021, Li applied to HKU claiming she had completed her undergraduate studies in linguistics at Columbia University in New York. She submitted forged documents, including fabricated certificates, to support her application and was subsequently admitted to HKU’s Master’s in Applied Linguistics program.

However, in 2024, HKU launched an investigation after receiving reports about several students potentially using forged documents. Upon contacting Columbia University, it was confirmed that Li had never attended the institution.

In addition to falsifying her undergraduate credentials, Li was also found to have altered her Master’s degree certificate. She changed her grade from a “pass” to a “distinction,” and adjusted the date of her graduation ceremony, claiming it occurred on June 12, despite it actually taking place on June 11.

After failing to meet with Li, HKU terminated her enrollment and reported the matter to authorities. Li was arrested soon after.

In her confession, Li stated that she had graduated from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan in 2020. She also admitted to hiring an agency called Academic Emperor to assist her in gaining admission to HKU and securing false academic credentials. Li paid a total of 380,000 yuan (approximately US$52,371) for the agency’s services, which included attending an online course allegedly hosted by Columbia University.

Li pleaded guilty to two charges: one for forging documents to gain admission to HKU and another for falsifying her Master’s degree results. She admitted to relying on external services to carry out the fraudulent actions.

Li, 28, won the Miss Woman of the Universe Shenzhen 2024 title, a contest organized by the same organization that founded Mrs. Universe China.