Plea is Coming on Fake Prep School Scam

Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to schedule a guilty plea hearing for a man accused of setting up a fake prep school that lured more than 20 athletes with the promise of competing for college scholarships.
Daniel Hicks, 43 Charleston, is accused of creating the fake West Virginia Prep Academy that attracted two dozen students from around the world in August 2011. The students were discovered living in an unfurnished, two-bedroom apartment. Hicks had been indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud. But Thursday, prosecutors charged Hicks with making a false statement to a federal agent. If Hicks pleads guilty to the false statement charge and the judge accepts it, the other charges would be dismissed.