Facebook/Kacy Claassen
A 28-year-old woman accused of pretending to be a teenager and enrolling at a New York City high school was reportedly caught after the school principal found her Facebook account.
Kacy Claassen allegedly attended Westchester Square Academy on the Herbert H. Lehman Campus in the Bronx for around two weeks under the fake name Shamara Rashad, according to a criminal complaint.
Claassen reportedly enrolled on April 13, claiming she was a 16-year-old girl who had recently moved to New York from Ohio with her sister. She was even issued a school ID under the fake name and age.
However, the scheme started to fall apart when principal Marques Rich grew suspicious and found a Facebook page that allegedly showed her real identity.
28-year-old woman pretended to be teen in high school
According to Vice, the account listed Claassen’s real date of birth as July 29, 1997, and included photos of her holding a baby. At least one post also reportedly mentioned having a daughter.
When confronted, Claassen allegedly continued to insist she was Shamara Rashad. But after Rich showed her a screenshot of the Facebook account, she reportedly admitted who she really was.
Claassen allegedly told authorities that a friend had pushed her into the scheme so they could collect more public assistance money from the city.
She was arrested on April 27 and charged with criminal impersonation and trespassing. Some reports also listed endangering the welfare of a child among the allegations.
Claassen has pleaded not guilty and was released after her arraignment. She is due back in court on June 15.
Facebook/Kacy Claassen
The New York Post also reported that Claassen previously claimed she had fled an abusive marriage and spent time in a psychiatric hospital, citing people familiar with her past.
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In a statement shared with multiple outlets, NYC Schools called enrollment fraud a “serious crime” that undermines public school values and said the NYPD is actively investigating the allegations.
Students were baffled by impersonation, calling it “insane” that a woman nearing 30-years-old was allowed in. “Be careful and check IDs,” one said.
