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Wal-Mart Heiress Surrenders College Degree
ClickonDetroit ^ | October 19, 2005 | AP

Posted on 10/20/2005 5:59:05 AM PDT by ShadowDancer

Wal-Mart Heiress Surrenders College Degree

POSTED: 8:29 pm EDT October 19, 2005

LOS ANGELES -- Wal-Mart heiress Elizabeth Paige Laurie is now no longer a graduate of the University of Southern California.

Laurie has returned her degree nearly a year after a former roommate alleged that Laurie had paid her $20,000 to do her homework.

Elena Martinez told ABC's "20/20" she'd written term papers and done assignments for Laurie for more than three years.

Laurie is the granddaughter of Wal-Mart co-founder Bud Walton. A statement from USC said she "voluntarily" surrendered her degree and returned her diploma to the school.

Laurie's family has repeatedly declined to comment on the cheating allegation.

Martinez could not be reached for comment.

At the time of the "20/20" broadcast, Martinez said she dropped out of USC because she couldn't afford the tuition. She said she learned a great deal by doing Laurie's class work.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: elenamartinez; elizabethlaurie; elizabethpaigelaurie; fraud; laurie; usc; walmart
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1 posted on 10/20/2005 5:59:05 AM PDT by ShadowDancer
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To: ShadowDancer

I guess she can still get a job as a cashier.


2 posted on 10/20/2005 6:01:00 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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To: ShadowDancer
Laurie has returned her degree nearly a year after a former roommate alleged that Laurie had paid her $20,000 to do her homework.

I'd say Laurie is in for a refund, and if I were her, I'd be filing a lawsuit to get my money back. Breach of contract ...

3 posted on 10/20/2005 6:01:30 AM PDT by SittinYonder (Flea, feather, bird, egg, nest, twig, branch, limb, tree, and the bog down in the valley - o.)
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To: ShadowDancer
a former roommate alleged that Laurie had paid her $20,000 to do her homework.

Well, Laurie should get her $20k back...

4 posted on 10/20/2005 6:02:08 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: ShadowDancer

As a graduate of UCLA, I'm wondering how hard can it actually be to take the tests yourself and get passing grades at USC


5 posted on 10/20/2005 6:05:29 AM PDT by vbmoneyspender
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To: ShadowDancer

This is news why? Oh I forgot... Walmart = evil for the MSM, pro-union liberals, and conservative isolationists.


6 posted on 10/20/2005 6:05:30 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: ShadowDancer
Harharhar.
This is the tip of the iceberg.
It's a business. Also, for example, doctor wives have been going to hubby's classes (non-medical ones) for eons.
Justification ABOUNDS in the Land of 1001 Exucses.
Fraud is fraud and it's fun to watch it be exposed.
7 posted on 10/20/2005 6:05:38 AM PDT by starfish923 (It's never right to do wrong. Socrates)
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To: ShadowDancer

There is something of a poetic justice to it: WalMart heiress buying a WalMart type of a degree (cheap and defective). She should have been getting at least a quote on something better, like MIT degree.


8 posted on 10/20/2005 6:06:48 AM PDT by GSlob
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: SittinYonder

Not so sure about that. I doubt the contract was conditional upon graduation. More like it was on a job-by-job basis.


10 posted on 10/20/2005 6:07:38 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: vbmoneyspender

My HS. Sociology teacher and his roomates put a dog through three years at UMASS before getting caught.


11 posted on 10/20/2005 6:10:20 AM PDT by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: ShadowDancer

I can tell you her parents are sorely pissed about this whole deal. She is a foolish kid with too much money and the "friend" that perpetrated the crime is just as guilty. I commend her parents for forcing her to return her degree. They are not bad people.


12 posted on 10/20/2005 6:10:33 AM PDT by Neoliberalnot
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To: Tijeras_Slim

It's gotta be tough to have a sports facility named after you, and then not.

13 posted on 10/20/2005 6:11:05 AM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: SittinYonder

wonder if roomate paid taxes on the $ 20,000. She was as greedy as Laurie. I guess a book deal is next or roommate


14 posted on 10/20/2005 6:11:11 AM PDT by newfrpr04
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To: GSlob
There is something of a poetic justice to it: WalMart heiress buying a WalMart type of a degree (cheap and defective).

Yeah, I can't understand why a store would sell such junk? I don't understand why there are so many millions of stupid people that shop there every day? I don't understand why there are so many ignorant people that talk out of their butts...

15 posted on 10/20/2005 6:13:07 AM PDT by pageonetoo (Rush knew he was breaking the law! But, it's all right. He's el Rushbo!)
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To: massgopguy
This him?


16 posted on 10/20/2005 6:13:55 AM PDT by ShadowDancer (Stupid people make my brain sad.)
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To: ShadowDancer

How is this different than claiming you earned medals and got an honorable discharge (that youd didn't) then running and being elected to the Senate and then running for El presidenty - OK now I remember it's Walmart.

One huge difference here she returned her degree after being busted - the ketchup dildo keeps on keeping on.


17 posted on 10/20/2005 6:13:56 AM PDT by kentj
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To: ShadowDancer
Martinez said she dropped out of USC because she couldn't afford the tuition

Even after making 20 G's on the side?
18 posted on 10/20/2005 6:15:34 AM PDT by Texas2step (<><)
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To: martin_fierro
How about that -- the Paris Hilton of the retail sector.

What I don't understand is why she'd even bother trying to get the USC degree in the first place. It's not as if she needed a college degree to get a good job at the age of 22.

19 posted on 10/20/2005 6:15:34 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I ain't got a dime, but what I got is mine. I ain't rich, but Lord I'm free.)
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To: ShadowDancer

I take it the girl wanted more money, when the shakedown didn't work, she went public.


20 posted on 10/20/2005 6:16:30 AM PDT by WV Mountain Mama ("Good? Bad? I'm the one with the gun." Ash Williams, "Army of Darkness")
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