French professor accused of ‘gigantic hoax’ after inventing Nobel-style prize
Summary
A French professor named Florent Montaclair is under investigation for creating a fake international prize in philology, a field of linguistics. He reportedly invented the award, purchased a medal, and used fake university credentials to gain a promotion. Journalists uncovered the hoax after noticing the prize had no real organization behind it.Key Facts
- Florent Montaclair, a French literature professor, received the "2016 Gold Medal of Philology" in a ceremony attended by notable figures.
- The International Society of Philology, which supposedly awarded the medal, does not exist.
- The American university linked to the prize is a fake, with its listed address being a jewelry store in Delaware.
- Montaclair bought the medal for €250 and arranged the ceremony himself.
- He allegedly used a fake doctorate from the same non-existent university to get promoted at a French college.
- Romanian journalists exposed the hoax after investigating a recipient from Romania.
- Police searched Montaclair’s home, and he admitted to ordering the medal and managing fake websites but denies criminal intent.
- The investigation focuses on whether Montaclair gained financially or professionally from the fake credentials.
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