Sen. Cataldo acknowledges obtaining nuclear engineering degree from notorious diploma mill
In a letter to the editor of Foster’s Daily Democrat, state Sen. Sam Cataldo (R-Farmington) acknowledged receiving his Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering from an unaccredited institution that offered illegitimate academic degrees and diplomas for a fee.
As we reported last month, Cataldo obtained the degree from LaSalle University in Mandeville, Louisiana. The notorious diploma mill was shut down by federal authorities after a 1996 FBI investigation. Founder Thomas James Kirk subsequently pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
John Bear, a diploma mill consultant to the FBI, described the fraudulent school. “LaSalle had one faculty member serving 15,000 students,” he wrote. Small print on the LaSalle application “made clear that signing that document made them Ministers of Kirk’s World Christian Church, and that any degrees they might earn would be religious degrees, regardless of what subject they were in.”
In a rambling response to a November 18 letter from constituent Ann Wright, Cataldo described his work experience and training in the nuclear industry prior to obtaining the degree and explained that he retired from the industry the same month he received his diploma:
Yes, I did receive my degree from LaSalle University back in June 1996, not, as was written. I was working as a private contractor, and living in Baton Rouge, LA at that time. A week later I was driving home, back to New Hampshire. I worked in several nuclear health physics positions, from project manager to health physics shift supervisor, instructor, and site superintendent; prior to June 1996. I won’t talk about the 5-years at one nuclear plant in New Jersey where we went to school every 8th week for one (1) week and that allotted additional college credits from an “accredited” State University in N.J. Why leave the nuke business, June 1996? It was time to come home, period…
I shall verify this so-called “diploma mill” not via “according to Wikipedia.” And also, verify that another school purchased the school in 1999?
Cataldo did not say if he was aware of LaSalle’s fraudulent business practices either before or after receiving his diploma. The U.S. Attorney reportedly notified every person in the LaSalle files about Kirk’s guilty plea and offered refunds from the $12 million in confiscated funds — if they turned in their diplomas.