China’s Academic Fraud Crisis: Bribery Attempts Shake Global Journals

The credibility of academic publishing is under siege as journal editors worldwide face blatant bribery offers to bypass ethical practices. A recent case involving Dr. Richard Addante, an associate editor at Frontiers in Psychology and a psychologist at the Florida Institute of Technology, has brought these issues into sharper focus.

The Key Points

A growing number of journal editors are receiving bribery offers, allegedly originating from China.
Paper mills and unethical actors seek to bypass peer review and expedite paper publications.
High-profile editors like Dr. Richard Addante have flagged alarming attempts and questionable institutions.
Despite China's efforts to curb academic fraud, corruption in research publishing remains rampant.
Experts emphasize stronger global integrity policies and investigations to address the issue.

Bribery Proposals Target Journal Editors Worldwide

Addante was approached with an alarming email promising a $1,500 “referral fee” in exchange for ensuring paper publication.

The sender, Wei Yang, claimed to be affiliated with Zhengzhou College of Business and Industry in China. The email stated, “If you can help me publish my paper, I’ll pay you $1500 as a referral fee. ” To Addante, the offer was not just unethical but symptomatic of the more extensive, systemic corruption plaguing scientific research.

“It was surprising to see such an obvious request for bribery,” Addante shared. “The brazen nature of it led me to think that it may be a common practice for some, for which there was no fear of repercussion.”

A Growing Pattern of Fraud and Corruption

This is not an isolated incident. A joint investigation by Science and Retraction Watch earlier this year revealed a troubling pattern: paper mills—businesses that produce and sell fraudulent academic papers—have been bribing journal editors and infiltrating editorial boards for years. These unethical operations enable researchers to publish unvetted, low-quality, or falsified work.

Paper mills thrive in regions with immense academic pressure, and China has emerged as a significant contributor. Despite recent efforts by Chinese authorities to combat academic fraud, corruption remains deeply entrenched.

Speaking anonymously for fear of retaliation, a Chinese researcher highlighted the unchanging incentives driving fraud. “China’s scientific research evaluation system has not changed, and corruption in the system that may affect integrity has further increased,” the source explained.

The Red Flags Behind the Offers

The details of the bribery attempts raise further questions. The suspicious emails claimed affiliation with Zhengzhou Technology and Business University, a private school in China’s Henan province. However, multiple red flags emerged upon closer examination.

The signature indicated that “Wei Yang” worked at the School of Information Engineering at Zhengzhou College of Business and Industry, an institution that does not appear to exist. Attempts to verify the email domain failed, with messages bouncing back and phone numbers proving inactive. Searches for “Wei Yang” and the purported institution yielded no results.

Addante’s suspicions deepened, prompting him to alert Frontiers and withdraw from editing a paper by authors he believed were affiliated with the same institution. “When you have people offering bribes from one institution, it casts a gray cloud on everyone from that institution,” Addante noted.

Other editors in Europe and the United States have also reported receiving identical offers, and some have shared their experiences on professional platforms like LinkedIn. Valeria Cavioni of Università Mercatorum in Rome echoed the concern, describing a troubling increase in payment offers to expedite publication processes.

How Publishers Are Responding

Publishers, including Frontiers, have acknowledged the severity of these incidents. Internal communications revealed that editorial managers are actively identifying and addressing corruption attempts. Sara Palermo, assistant specialty chief editor for neuropsychology at Frontiers, confirmed the issue in a recent message.

“Corruption attempts are underway by several researchers based in China. The Journal Manager and the Executives are checking and flagging all the authors.”

In an official statement, Frontiers reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward bribery and fraud. “Any bribery attempts counter all Frontiers’ research integrity policies and ethics. We are actively investigating,” the statement read.

Publishers have also warned editors to remain vigilant, urging them to report similar offers and avoid potential phishing scams or identity fraud.

Why Fraud Persists in China’s Academic Landscape

China’s scientific ecosystem is a fertile ground for paper mills due to its competitive, metric-driven research culture. Promotions, funding, and professional recognition in China often depend on the sheer quantity of papers published rather than their quality or impact.

This has fueled the demand for fraudulent academic work, creating a thriving paper mill industry that promises rapid publication—sometimes at a hefty price. Researchers desperate to meet institutional requirements or advance their careers are willing to engage with these unethical services.

Observers argue that China’s measures to curb academic fraud have not addressed the root causes. While high-profile crackdowns have led to some reforms, systemic corruption persists, often concealed behind opaque institutional practices.

The Larger Threat to Scientific Integrity

The rise of bribery attempts poses a profound threat to global scientific integrity. When editors and journals are compromised, the ripple effects extend beyond individual cases.

Trust in peer-reviewed science is eroded when fraudulent papers infiltrate respected journals. Poorly vetted or falsified research, especially in fields like medicine or engineering, can lead to flawed decisions with real-world consequences. Honest researchers competing against those who resort to fraud face an unfair playing field.

Addante reflected on the broader implications of the incident. “Whether it’s a fraud upon the scientific integrity of the review process and bribery, or whether it’s just preying upon vulnerable faculty to give their bank account numbers – either way, it’s a fraud, and it’s fraud within the science industry.”

What Comes Next: A Call for Global Action

Stronger global frameworks to uphold academic integrity are needed to combat these issues. Experts suggest the following measures.

Journals must implement stricter verification protocols for paper submissions and author credentials. Institutions worldwide must increase transparency in research evaluations and address systemic incentives for quantity over quality. Governments, publishers, and researchers must collaborate to identify and dismantle paper mills operating across borders.

While Frontiers and other publishers continue their investigations, the academic community must remain vigilant. Bribery schemes are evolving, and as Addante’s experience illustrates, journal editors are at the front of this battle.

For now, the question remains: How many other editors have received such offers, and how deep does this problem go? If China and the global scientific community fail to act decisively, the integrity of academic research may face irreparable damage.

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Carl Riedel

Carl Riedel is an experienced writer and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) specialist, known for insightful articles that illuminate underreported issues. Passionate about free speech, he expertly transforms public data into compelling narratives, influencing public discourse.