>> Rooney: IT'S A STORY WITH
EERIE ECHOES OF CLARK ROCK FELL
HE AND THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY.
23-YEAR-OLD ADAM WHEELER OF
COURSE WAS IN MID.
SEX SUPERIOR COURT ACCUSED OF
FAKING HIS WAY INTO HARVARD
COLLEGE AND BILKING THE SCHOOL
OUT OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
PROSECUTORS SAY ADAM WHEELER'S
BUNDLE OF LIES STARTED
UNRAVELLING LAST SEPTEMBER, WHEN
HE APPLIED FOR RHODES AND
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS.
A HARVARD PROFESSOR CAUGHT
WHEELER PLAGIARIZING THE WORK OF
A FACULTY MEMBER.
CONFRONTED BY THE DEAN, WHEELER
DROPPED OUT AND HARVARD
OFFICIALS STARTED DIGGING IN.
>> BASED ON HIS ABRUMT DEPARTURE
FROM HARVARD, MEMBER OF THE
FACULTY LOOKED INTO THE
APPLICATION PROCESS AND MR.
WHEELER'S PREVIOUS WORK AT
HARVARD.
>> WHAT THEY FOUND WAS STUNNING,
PROSECUTORS CLAIMED.
NOT ONLY HAD WHEELER LIED ABOUT
HIS GRADES AT HARVARD, HE ALSO
LIED TO GET INTO HARVARD.
HE DIDN'T ACE THE SATs.
HE DIDN'T GO TO PHILLIP'S
ACADEMY OR M.I.T.
>> WHAT MR. WHEELER ACTUALLY DID
WAS HE SOMEHOW PRODUCED A FULL
TRANSCRIPT FROM PHILLIP'S
ACADEMY AND A TRANSCRIPT FROM
M.I.T. AND SENT THEM IN HAD
WHICH IS APPLICATION PROCESS.
>> IN FACT, WHEEL HE WENT TO BUB
LICK SCHOOL IN DELAWARE AND
BODEN COLLEGE.
WHY THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH IS A
MYSTERY.
SO IS WHY AFTER GETTING BOOTED
FROM HARVARD AND FAILING TO GET
A JOB AT McLEAN HOSPITAL HE
ALLEGEDLY TRYINGED TO TIN HIS
IVY LEAGUE ESCAPADE.
>> HE ACTUALLY TOOK THE NAME OF
THE PERSON THAT I TRIED TO GET A
JOB FROM AT McLEAN AND WROTE
HIMSELF A RECOMMENDATION FROM
THE PERSON, PUT ON HIS RESUME
THAT HE ACTUALLY HAD THAT JOB IN
McLEAN, AND THEN APPLIED TO
BROWN AND YALE.
>> Rooney: OUTSIDE COURT,
WHEELER'S LAWYER NOTED THAT HESS
CLIENT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
GUILTY, BUT GIVEN THE SLEW OF
CHARGES WHEELER FACES, THAT MAY
BE A MATTER OF DEGREE.
JOINING ME NOW IS BOSTON COLLEGE
PROFESSOR, MARTHA BAYLESS.
DR. NANCY RAPPAPORT OF CLAIM
BRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE AND ADAM
WE LIF "GREATER BOSTON."
ADAM, YOU WERE AT COURT.
WE SAW THE SHOT OF THE PARENTS
THERE.
WHAT WAS THE BUZZ ABOUT HOW THE
KID PULLED THIS OFF.
>> WE WERE STRUCK BY THE
COMPULSIVE QUALITY OF THE HIS
ALLEGED FABRICATIONS.
IF HE HADN'T TAKEN THIS A LITTLE
BIT TOO FAR, HE COULD BE BOYCE
POISE FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL LIFE
AS A DPRAD WAIT OF HARVARD
COLLEGE WAUFL THE DOORS THAT TO
OPENS.
HE COULD HAVE PLAGIARIZED OTHER
MATERIAL FOR THE RHODES AND
FULBRIGHT BUT INSTEAD HE
PLAGIARIZED THE HARVARD
PROFESSOR.
DID HE WANT TO GET CAUGHT?
HE DID STOP LYING.
HE ALMOST SUCCEEDED.
THAT'S WHAT I FOUND STRIKING.
>> Rooney: NANCY, WE HAVE A COPY
OF THE RESUME THAT COME OUT OF
THE NEW REPUBLIC WEBSITE.
IT'S ASTOUNDING.
IT'S TOO PAGES AND THE LANGUAGE
THAT HE USES IS ARCANE AND
MEDIEVAL.
AND HE IS QUOTING ALL OF THESE
TUTOR WRITERS AND IT'S
ELABORATE.
HE -- I MEAN, HE IS GOT TO HAVE
SOME SMARTS HERE.
>> HE PUT A LOT OF ENERGY INTO
PRESENTING A FALSE SELF, AND IT
CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.
>> Rooney: BUT WHY?
WHAT'S SOMEBODY -- WHAT'S GOING
ON HERE?
I MEAN, CLARK ROCKEFELLER.
IT'S SIMILAR IN A WAY.
LIVING AN EXISTENCE THAT YOU ARE
NOT.
>> IT'S PARTLY THE IDEA OF
PRESENTING A FAKE PERSON,
BECAUSE I MEAN, I CAN'T -- I
NEVER INTERVIEWED HIM.
I HAVE NO SENSE OF WHO HE IS,
BUT THAT KIND OF PERSON HAS NO
REMORSE, AND IT'S GAME.
IT'S A GAME OF MANIPULATION.
IT HAS AN APPEAL TO IT, AND YOU
KNOW, NOW HE'S FACING THE
NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF -- YOU
KNOW, IT'S A PACK OF CARDS.
YOU START PEELING AWAY THE
LAYER, BUT FOR A WHILE, AND
PARTLY WHAT IS SO APPEALING TO
US IS HE PULLED IT OFF.
>> Rooney: YEAH.
YOU'RE ALMOST ROOTING FOR HIM.
>> HE IS A WHEELER DEALER.
THIS IS A BAD PUN.
HE MADE US THINK THAT YOU KNOW,
THAT HE WAS SOMEONE HE WASN'T.
AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT
DOING INDIVIDUAL THERAPY WITH
HIM WOULD BE THAT MUCH FUN, TO
TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
I DON'T THINK WE WOULD GET THAT
FAR WITH HIM, BECAUSE WHEN YOU
ARE TALKING WITH SOMEONE TRYING
TO DO EXPLORATORY WORK, YOU HAVE
TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE'S
GENUINE, AND IN THIS SITUATION,
MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT YOU
WERE SOMEHOW BEING EMPATHIC,
TRYING TO CONNECT, TELL ME ABOUT
WHAT YOUR BED SENSE OF SELF WAS,
AND -- YOUR BAD SENSE OF SELF
WAS AND I THINK HE HAS A LOT TO
LEARN AT THIS POINT IN THE ROAD
BECAUSE HE IS HAVING THE
DISCOVERY THAT HE'S NOT WHAT HE
SAID HE WAS.
AND NOW HE HAS TO REBUILD.
>> Rooney: AND ON MANY LEVELS
HERE, THIS SHOCKED US
THAT -- FOR ONE THING, JUST THAT
A COLLEGE, THE ESTEEMED LEVEL OF
ANY ONE OF THEM, BODEN, M.I.T.
OR HARVARD, ANYONE WHO HAD ANY
-- ACTUALLY, M.I.T. HAD NO
CONNECTION WITH HIM, BUT -- THEY
DIDN'T CATCH THIS EARLIER.
THEY DIDN'T -- HOW DOES SOMEBODY
PULL A TRANSCRIPT OFF AFTER
SCHOOL THAT HE DEPARTMENT GO TO,
AND A LOT OF -- SATs ARE OFTEN
SENT ELECTRONICALLY.
THIS WAS AN ELABORATE SCHEME
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU
FAKE AN SAT SCORE.
RN I DON'T KNOW EITHER.
>> THAT WILL PROBABLY COME OUT
AND THEY'LL HAVE TO CHANGE IT AT
THE SAT.
>> Rooney: YEAH.
>> YOU MENTIONED M.I. IT T.
THERE WAS A DEAN OF ADMISSIONS
AT M.I.T. WHO HAD TO RESIGN
BECAUSE SHE FAKED HER DEGREES
WHEN SHE ORIGINALLY GOT THE JOB
28 YEARS AGO.
>> Rooney: SHE WAS IN
ADMISSIONS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SHE WAS THE DEAN OF ADMISSIONS.
BUT THAT'S ASIDE, I THINK ONE
THING THAT WE'RE SHOCKED BY HERE
IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE IN
THE MERITOCRACY.
WE BELIEVE IF YOU STUDY HARD
ENOUGH AND WORK HARD ENOUGH YOU
CAN GET INTO A GOOD SCHOOL AND
THE SYSTEM IS A FAIR ONE.
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY GAINING
THE SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY THAT
SYSTEM WHICH IS A KEY TO PEOPLE
GETTING AHEAD AND PEOPLE
SUCCEED, IMMIGRANTS COME TO
AMERICA BELIEVING IN THIS
SYSTEM, THAT SOMEHOW IT'S
BASICALLY FAIR AND HARD WORK AND
HARD STUDY AND SMARTS WILL GET
YOU AHEAD, IT'S REALLY
UNSETTLING TO SEE HOW EASY IT IS
TO GAME THE SYSTEM.
>> Rooney: AND THE OTHER THING
IS, IT MAKES YOU FEEL --
COLLEGE, WELL, WE DON'T PUT THAT
MUCH STOCK IN SAT SCORES AND
GRADES.
I MEAN, THAT'S SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THIS KID ON PAPER IS THE PERFECT
CANDIDATE, AND THAT'S WHY THEY
ACCEPTED HIM.
>> WELL, THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE TO
IT, THOUGH, WHICH IS THAT WE
ALSO ADMIRE PEOPLE WHO MAKE FUN
OF AND --
>> Rooney: TRUE.
>> AND FLOUT THE RULES OF
BUREAUCRACY.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS,
HIGHER EDUCATION IS GETTING MORE
AND MORE BUREAUCRATIZED.
THERE'S A SNEAKING SATISFACTION
THAT YOU SEE THIS VERY
BUREAUCRATIC SYSTEM OF
CREDENTIALING AND HIGHER
EDUCATION THAT SOMEBODY CAN GAME
THAT SYSTEM, BECAUSE I THINK A
LOT OF PEOPLE RESENT IT.
>> Rooney: I WONDER READING
THROUGH THE RESUME HERE.
I HAVE TO READ ONE LINE.
>> IT'S COMICAL.
>> Rooney: IT'S HILARIOUS.
I'M WONDERING IF HE ISN'T TRYING
TO MAKE FUN AT THE SAME TIME.
HE IS TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING HE
REVIEWED, THE MAPPING OF AN
IDEOLOGICAL DEMISE.
ACCORDINGLY EACH OF THE TEXTS
THAT I EXAMINED, THE TREES AND
AWARENESS OF WRITING AS A
SPATIAL ACTIVITY, IN SPACE AS A
SCRIPTED CATEGORY.
IT'S LIKE, WHAT!
THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT
THEY TALK ABOUT IN THESE
ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENTS.
HE IS MAKING FUN?
>> HE HAD A GOOD EAR FOR IT, AND
HE MAY -- HE DID-THAT IS HOW
THEY TALK, AND HE KNEW HOW TO
USE THE LINGO.
I THINK ONE OTHER THING WE HAVE
TO BE COGNIZANT OF IS ONE REASON
THIS IS A GREAT STORY IS A LOT
OF PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING SEEING
HARVARD TAKEN DOWN A NOTCH.
ALL OF US --
>> NOT ME!
>> WHO ARE -- THOSE OF US --
THOSE OF US WHO -- YOU KNOW, WHO
COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN INTO
HARVARD, THERE'S -- I THINK A
LITTLE BIT OF SHADE -- LOOK
THESE PEOPLE AT HARVARD -- WELL,
HE PUT ONE OVER ON THEM.
>> Rooney: I THINK THERE IS A
LITTLE BIT OF THAT, NANCY.
>> BUT IT'S NOT SO EASY.
WHEN YOU SAY IT'S EASY TO PULL
IT OFF.
I TEACH HARVARD FRESHMEN AND
SMART KIDS ARE USUALLY SMART.
HE HAD A KNACK FOR TWISTING
THINGS, WHAT'S FUN ABOUT READING
THAT RESUME IS IF YOU READ IT AS
A PSYCHIATRIST, THERE'S SO MUCH
DOUBLE ENTENDRE.
WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT THE
IDEOLOGICAL DEMISE.
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
>> Rooney: NOW YOU'RE TALKING IT
TOO FAR.
>> YOU WROTE A WHOLE BOOK ABOUT
GETTING LOST AND LOSING YOUR
BEARS AND BEING DISORIENT THE
WHICH HAS A LONG INVOLVED TITLE.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE
LITTLE CLUES THERE.
I THINK THAT THE WAY WE FEEL
ABOUT IT, WE DO HAVE FOLK HEROES
IN OUR CULTURE.
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY.
THE GUY, THE CHARACTER WHO THEY
MADE THE FILM ABOUT, "CATCH ME
IF YOU CAN."
>> Rooney: YEAH.
>> WE IS A LIKING FOR THE CAN
MAN AND THE SCAM ARTIST.
HE IS KIND OF A FOLK HERO.
THE ONE WHO GAMES THE SYSTEM.
BUT IT DEPENDS ON WHAT PART OF
THE SYSTEM THEY'RE AIMING AT.
BECAUSE IF IT'S A HARVARD, IF
IT'S AN ELITE INSTITUTION THAT A
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ENVY -- FEELS
OF ENVY AND RESENTMENT TOWARD,
THEN THERE'S A CERTAIN -- YOU
KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, BUT IF IT'S
-- IF THEY'RE GAMING -- IF
THEY'RE CHEATING THE LITTLE
GUY --
>> LITTLE GUY, OR -- YOU KNOW,
ELDERLY PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR
PENSIONS, THEN WE DON'T HAVE SO
MUCH RESPECT FOR THIS SCAM
ARTIST.
>> IN THE CASE OF CLARK
ROCKEFELLER.
HE MAY HAVE -- THERE ARE
ALLEGATIONS THAT HE MAY HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, A
MURDER OUT IN CALIFORNIA.
SO, THEN THERE'S A DARK ELEMENT
WHEREAS HERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
A DARKNESS THERE, BUT AS YOU
SAID, IT'S LIVENED BY HIM TAKING
ON THE INSTITUTION.
>> Rooney: ADAM, YOU HAVE TO
WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE
PARENTS.
YOU HAVE ONE SHOT OF THEM IN
COURT THERE.
WAS IT YOUR IMPRESSION THEY'RE
COOPERATING WITH THE AUTHORITY?
>> IT'S HARD TO SAY.
I MEAN, THE PROSECUTION SAYS
THAT THEY HELPED BLOW THE
WHISTLE WHEN HE WAS LIVING AT
HOME AFTER LEAVING HARVARD, THAT
WHEN YALE -- I BELIEVE CONTACTED
THEM ABOUT HIS APPLICATION, THAT
THEY --
>> Rooney: THEY WERE SAY, WAIT A
SECOND.
THEY MUST HAVE KNOWN THAT HE WAS
THROWN OUT OF HARVARD.
>> THEY MUST HAVE AT LEAST KNOWN
THAT.
>> Rooney: AND BODEN, TOO.
>> YOU HAVE PARENTS UNDER SIEGE.
YOU DO HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE THIS
KIND OF STORY, 10% OF PARENT
ALSO COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK
AND SAY, WE DID NOT KNOW AND IT
WASN'T BECAUSE WE WERE ASLEEP AT
THE WHEEL.
BUT IT MAY BE -- MAYBE IT WAS
THAT HE -- AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW
THE CASE, THIS CASE, BUT MAYBE
SOMEONE LIKE THIS WAS VERY
INVESTED IN KEEPING THEM SHUT
OUT.
>> AND THERE'S THE NATURAL
PARENTAL URGE -- YOU KNOW, YOU
-- IT'S NICE TO THINK THAT --
WELL OF YOUR CHILDREN AND IT CAN
BE APPEALING TO TURN A BLIND EYE
ON THIS.
>> Rooney: IF YOU GET CLONE
THROWN OUT OF A COLLEGE.
THE PARENTS KNOW BECAUSE --
YOU'RE NOT PAYING THE TUITION
BILLS ANYMORE.
HE WAS SUSPENDED OR THROWN OUT
OF BODEN FOR PLAGIARISM.
>> BUT GIVEN HIS ABILITY TO SNOW
THE VERY BRIGHT ADMINISTRATORS.
IT'S POSSIBLE, WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT HE SAID TO HIS PARENTS.
MAYBE HE GAVE THEM A SONG AND
DANCE.
>> Rooney: SAME THING.
>> THAT WAS SO CONVINCING THAT
THEY BOUGHT IT.
>> A LOT OF PARENTS DON'T GET
THE WORLD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
ANYWAY.
IT'S -- IT HAS A KIND OF COUNT
--
>> Rooney: COUNT ME A MOM!
>> THIS IS THE -- IT'S GREAT
HE'S IN THE FIELD OF LITERARY
STUDIES.
IT WAS IN THAT FIELD THAT
SOMEONE PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN A JOURNAL
CALLED "OCTOBER" IN WHICH THEY
DISPROVED I THINK THE SERIES OF
RELATIVITY USING LITERARY
THEORETICAL DECONSTRUCTIONIST
TECHNIQUES TO SHOW THAT -- THEY
WERE DISPROVING A FUNDAMENTAL
ACCEPTED THEORY OF NATURAL
SCIENCE BY THE SAME TECHNIQUES
THAT THEY USE ON LITERATURE.
THERE'S A WONDERFUL BOOK BY A
NAME NAMED WALTER KERN WHO
WRITES A LOT OF REVIEWS FOR "THE
NEW YORK TIMES."
HE WROTE A BOOK CALLED LOST IN
THE MERITOCRACY AND HE TALKS
ABOUT BEING IN THE FIELD OF
LITERATURE AND PARROTING THE
PROIF HE WAS AND NEVER ACTUALLY
READING THE WORKS.
>> THIS IS AN EXTREME CASE.
>> Rooney: FOR THIS KID, JAIL SO
THE GOING TO CURE THIS KID.
AM I RIGHT ON THAT.
>> I DON'T WANT TO WEIGH IN ON
JAIL, BUT HE HAS A LOT OF WORK
TO DO.
AND HE -- HE IS GOT A LOT OF
DIG, BECAUSE THE WORD'S OUT NOW
THAT HE IS A FAKE.
>> IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE
DETENTION HAS BEEN KIND TO HIM.
HE DIDN'T LOOK TOO GOOD.
>> Rooney: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT'S IT FOR "GREATER BOSTON."
A REMINDER, EVERY WEEKDAY AT
NOON, TUNE IN TO THE 89.7 FOR MY
RADIO SHOW.
TOMORROW NIGHT, MORGAN FREEMAN
AND ROBERT DE NIRO CELEBRATE
BRAT THE POPS AND THE KEN DIS.
PLUS "BOSTON GLOBE" PUBLISHER,
CHRIS MAYER.
THAT'S TOMORROW AT 7:00.
I'M EMILY ROONEY, GOOD NIGHT.