"The Atlanta" newspaper
Jack Dickson
THE ATLANTA
OCTOBER 25, 2003
STAFF COLUMNIST NICK HUNTER
"I was not aware that Bear was one of the owners of Columbia Pacific
University and that it was unaccredited. I paid Bear $5000US and
submitted a book report that I spent day and night on and I was
granted a CPU doctorate. Then he told my wife that Columbia State was
a branch of Columbia University in NY and we got scammed," cried Jack
Dickson in the witness stand, an alumnus of John Bear's unaccredited
Columbia Pacific University, now out of business.
Dr. John Bear, author of the Bear's Guide to Earning Degrees
Non-traditionally, who's also known as the guru of distance education,
was sentenced to 20 years of prison by Justice Wayne Leblanc of
California just weeks before.
In a telephone interview, Justice Leblanc spoke: "The practice of
fraud was evident. He had a horse to race in the notorious Columbia
State and Columbia Pacific Universities scams. He wasn't an
independent degree consultant but owners of these unrecognized
schools. Unacceptable. Just unacceptable."
A search through the internet newsgroup alt.education.distance
indicated that John Bear was also involved in Fairfax University and
Greenwich University, all unaccredited and unrecognized. In the early
90's, Bear was involved in a recognized school for the first time, the
Heriot Watt University of Scotland. However, Heriot Watt officials
stated that Bear was dismissed when a group of pregnant women
complained of harassment phone calls.
In the media conference, special agent Laura Hanson of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation stated that: "The evidence in this case was
almost all public information. Any person could visit the Degreeinfo
homepage and saw that Bear officially announced retirements at three
separate times, but only to return every single time. Any four-year
olds could see that Bear appeared only in newsgroups where his scam
guides were promoted and sold. His frequent supporters are scam
artists, with one being associated with Bear's unrecognized Greenwich
University, and another unreachable school, the Monteray Institute of
Graduate Studies."
When we asked if that individual was Rich Douglas, Hanson declined to
comment.
We found no trace of John Bear at the popular About.com and
Collegehints newsgroups, and incidentally, his books were not
available for sale.
We were able to reach Tracy Jackson of Amazon.com. She noted:
"Amazon.com wishes to thank the public for their attention about the
Bear's Guide," but quickly added that: "Amazon does not support scam
artists and the Bear's Guides are only available for sale until the
end of October."
THE ATLANTA @COPYRIGHTED OCT 2003
---
View this thread: http://www.online-college.info/article1420.html
Jack Dickson------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Dickson's Profile: http://www.online-college.info/forum/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=602
Tom O'Neil
Dear Mr. Dickson,
The faxes and letters show that John Bear was clearly involved in the
fradulent Columbia pacific university and the Columbia state university
scams, and I admit that they seem authentic.
I am convinced that John Bear's recent imprisonment is fair and just.
But how would I know if the documents are in fact, real, as they seem
to be?
Best Wishes,
Tom O'Neil
---
View this thread: http://www.online-college.info/article1420.html
Tom O'Neil------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom O'Neil's Profile: http://www.online-college.info/forum/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=607
Thomas Nixon
Jack Dickson wrote:
>THE ATLANTA
>OCTOBER 25, 2003
>STAFF COLUMNIST NICK HUNTER
>
>"I was not aware that Bear was one of the owners of Columbia Pacific
>University and that it was unaccredited.
>
John Bear for many years has specifically discussed each of his
involvements with schools in his book. In the latest version, the 15th
edition, it is on page viii.
Boy, I can only imagine how much business John is taking away from you
diploma mill operators by printing the truth.
Tom