Woman, 29, Who Pretended to Be a High School Teen Pleads Not Guilty

The New York Times (NYT) (03/20/2023)
  • Hyejeong Shin was recently arrested for providing falsified documents that allowed her to enroll as a student at New Brunswick High (New Jersey).
  • A South Korean national, Shin moved to America for boarding school then graduated from Rutgers in 2019.
  • Her lawyers claim she was trying to “recreate the sense of safety” she experienced in boarding school following a “bitter divorce” two years ago and financial distress ($20K in unpaid rent).
  • Shin entered a “not guilty” plea and faces 5 years in prison.