An official investigation has now been launched after an individual claiming to be a law student took to a popular internet forum and confessed to cheating on the Illinois Bar Exam. 

Reddit user burnerman1818 wrote, “I cheated on the bar exam, will they find out?”, to the subreddit “r/barexam” — a popular online community for aspiring lawyers in the United States. 

The poster claims they went to UIC John Marshall for law school and that they “cheated” on the exam. 

The user, who now appears to have deleted their account along with the original post, goes on to state: 

“I had a psychologist test me and he diagnosed me with ADHD which I used to get extended time on the exam,” the poster claimed. The clear implication in the post is that they did not actually have ADHD. The post also says that they also allegedly had notes, including photographs of flashcards, on their phone and would view these during bathroom breaks. 

burnerman1818 continued: “I did pass the exam (after failing the last two times). Everyone is telling me to be proud of myself for finally doing it but deep down I feel guilty. How likely will they find out?” 

The post has gone viral and caused lots of theories online, including some that think a real law student was being set up by someone with a grudge against them.  

Director of administration for Illinois Board of Admissions to the bar, Nancy Vincent, said she was aware of the post and that “appropriate steps are being taken”. She released a statement: “The Board takes very seriously its responsibility to the Illinois Supreme Court, to the legal community, to its applicants, and to the public. While it is not ‘mandatory’ to investigate every allegation, when matters that may affect the integrity of the exam or the character of an applicant are brought to our attention, the Board will take all appropriate steps.” 

You can read more about this story here.  

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