Ohio Department of Education Deems Bishop Sycamore Fake After Elaborate Hoax, School Tricked ESPN Into Airing Football Game

On Friday, the agency released a 79-page report outlining its extensive investigation into the elaborate scam. The report stated, “There is no evidence that Bishop Sycamore High School is meeting the minimum standards for non-chartered, non-tax supported schools.” The agency also confirmed that the school had no physical location, nor did it ever employ teachers or enroll students.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is now looking into possible charges for the people responsible for the scheme.

“I am today asking Attorney General Yost and other offices with jurisdiction to determine whether the alleged deception by Bishop Sycamore violated any civil or criminal laws,” DeWine stated.

In August, the fictitious school tricked ESPN into airing a game between them and IMG Academy. After losing 58-0, sports analysts began to examine Bishop Sycamore, which not many people had ever heard of. During the game, ESPN announcers suggested that the network was fooled into airing the game after officials representing Bishop Sycamore told them the school had numerous top recruits.

Bishop Sycamore had a website, which apparently showed student-athletes how to be recruited by the school. Bishop Sycamore founder Andre Peterson confessed that the academy was a virtual charter school with only a P.O. Box. They assembled a football team by recruiting boys from other high schools, which fostered their spot on ESPN.

Tyren Jackson, head coach of the basketball team, stated that Bishop Sycamore was “not a school” and that the entire ordeal of them being called a school was just the matter of mistaken paperwork.