Sam Eshaghoff

Samuel Ezra "Sam" Eshaghoff (/'eʃæɡɑf/; born July 30, 1992) is an American real estate developer and former illegal test-taker. He is the Managing Principal of West Egg Development, a New York-based real estate development and investment company.[1] In 2011, he was charged with impersonation and related crimes in connection with charging students to take standardized tests on their behalf.[2][3] His cheating scandal caused the College Board and the Educational Testing Service to reform the way that standardized tests are secured and administered.[4][5]

Sam Eshaghoff
Eshaghoff in 2020
Born
Samuel Ezra Eshaghoff

(1992-07-30) July 30, 1992
Great Neck, New York, U.S.
EducationZicklin School of Business
OccupationReal estate developer

Early life

Eshaghoff was born in 1992 in Great Neck, New York. His father Roland Eshaghoff is a real estate manager and his mother Janet Esagoff is a real estate attorney.[6] He was raised in Great Neck and attended John L. Miller Great Neck North High School.[7] He attended the University of Michigan,[8] later transferring to Emory University.[9] He ultimately earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the Zicklin School of Business in New York, majoring in finance and real estate.

Test taking

Eshaghoff was discovered to have been operating a test-taking enterprise[10] while in high school whereby he charged students to take standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, on their behalf.[11] Reports estimate that Eshaghoff had taken standardized tests for between 7[12] and 20[13] students, charging between $1,500[14] and $3,600[15] per exam. Eshaghoff consistently scored in the 97th percentile or better.[16]

Eshaghoff was arrested and charged by the district attorney of Nassau County for impersonation and falsification of business documents.[17] He was caught after prosecutors and ETS worked with school officials to compare students' SAT scores with their grade point averages, and conduct handwriting analyses.[18] Eshaghoff was represented by Long Island attorney Matin Emouna.[19]

Aftermath

Eshaghoff and the district attorney’s office agreed to conditionally discharge the case, provided that Eshaghoff perform substantial community service[20] in tutoring underprivileged students.[21] Eshaghoff withdrew his attendance from Emory University.

In response to Eshaghoff's operation,[22][23] the College Board and ETS were forced to make radical changes to the administration and security of the SAT exam.[24] The College Board hired former FBI Director Louis Freeh[25] to oversee test security[26] and make substantial changes to test administration nationwide,[27][28] including a requirement that students upload photos of themselves into a database[29] and regulations on the types of permitted identification.[30] The ACT exam, administered by ACT Education also underwent a major security reform.[31] The College Board also began providing law enforcement and government agencies the names of people believed to be engaged in cheating.[32] They have also considered alerting schools when test takers will be coming from other school districts[33] and reducing the number of times the test is administered overseas.[34] The announcement was made at a hearing of the New York State Senate's subcommittee on higher education, and Eshaghoff's methods specifically influenced the new legislation.[35][36]

The College Board has twice since made reforms[37][38] to improve test integrity.

Media

Eshaghoff was interviewed for CBS’s 60 Minutes[39] in an episode titled "The Perfect Score: Cheating on the SAT".[40] The segment featured Kurt Landgraf, who was the President of the Educational Testing Service at the time,[41] and Kathleen Rice, who was the District Attorney at the time.[42] The interview was conducted by Alison Stewart.[43]

In 2013, the Lifetime network aired The Cheating Pact, a television film based on Eshaghoff's story,[44] starring Daniela Bobadilla, Laura Ashley Samuels, Laura Slade Wiggins, Max Carver, and Cynthia Gibb.[45]

Real estate

Eshaghoff is the founder and Managing Principal of West Egg Development, a New York-based real estate development and investment manager. His firm is known to be involved in numerous projects throughout the Greater New York City area, with a focus on emerging submarkets.

  • Eshaghoff's firm is developing 36-apartment project on East 53rd Street in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.[46] The complex consists of four sites that West Egg Development assembled in 2019-2020, including three contiguous mid-block parcels, and one lot on the corner of Winthrop Street. Eshaghoff is one of many developers to be known for starting projects in East Flatbush, including The Moinian Group, RiseBoro, Monadnock Development, and Dattner Architects.
  • According to The New York Times, Eshaghoff purchased the property located at 22-80 Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens[47] in July 2020.
  • Eshaghoff is known to be developing a luxury mixed-use building at 215-16 Northern Boulevard in Bayside, Queens.[48] The site was improved by a zoning lot merger and transfer of air rights from the property next door.
  • New York real estate publication Traded NY reported in January 2018 that Eshaghoff also acquired 2068 Story Avenue in the Soundview neighborhood of the Bronx with partners Sean Nasab and Ariel Moinian, nephew of renowned New York real estate developer Joseph Moinian.

Recognition
  • Eshaghoff was named in the "2020 Ones to Watch" by the New York Real Estate Journal[49] among "up and coming professionals as well as industry veterans across all areas of real estate".
  • Eshaghoff is known for having developed and sold the first $1 million dollar homes in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn.[50][51] He built the properties, located at 710-714 Wortman Avenue, in 2018.[52] Real Estate Weekly first broke the news with an exclusive interview of Eshaghoff.

References
  1. Development, West Egg. "West Egg Development". West Egg Development. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  2. "7 students arrested in SAT cheating scheme". msnbc.com. 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  3. "SAT Cheating Ring Busted in New York". ABC News. 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  4. ANDERSON, JENNY. "After Arrest, a Wider Inquiry on SAT Cheating". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  5. Hu, Winnie; Anderson, Jenny (2011-10-25). "SAT Officials Vow Tighter Test Security After Arrests". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  6. "Esagoff Law Group". esagofflawgroup.com. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  7. "7 Long Island Students Charged in SAT Fraud Scheme". Associated Press. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  8. Applebome, Jenny Anderson and Peter. "On Long Island, SAT Cheating Was Hardly a Secret". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  9. "Sam Eshaghoff, Emory University Student, Allegedly Took SAT For Other Students". Huffington Post. 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  10. "N.Y. Authorities Arrest Seven Accused Of Running SAT Cheating Ring". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  11. Applebome, Jenny Anderson and Peter. "On Long Island, SAT Cheating Was Hardly a Secret". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  12. "7 Arrested in Long Island SAT Cheating Ring". NBC New York. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  13. Sgueglia,CNN, By Kristina. "Two more surrender, making 20 arrests in SAT/ACT scandal - CNN". CNN. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  14. "'Hire' ed. cheating scandal". New York Post. 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  15. Applebome, Jenny Anderson and Peter. "On Long Island, SAT Cheating Was Hardly a Secret". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  16. Anderson, Jenny. "After Arrest, a Wider Inquiry on SAT Cheating". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  17. "SAT Cheating Ring Widens". ABC News. 2011-11-21. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  18. Anderson, Jenny; Applebome, Peter (2011-12-01). "On Long Island, SAT Cheating Was Hardly a Secret". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  19. "Suspect in SAT scandal on '60 Minutes'". Newsday. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  20. "Boasting may impact punishment in SAT case". Newsday. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  21. Applebome, Jenny Anderson and Peter. "On Long Island, SAT Cheating Was Hardly a Secret". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  22. Hu, Jenny Anderson and Winnie. "More Students Charged in Long Island SAT Cheating Case". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  23. "More Arrests Reportedly Imminent in New York SAT Cheating Scandal". Fox News. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  24. Hu, Winnie; Anderson, Jenny (2011-10-25). "SAT Officials Vow Tighter Test Security After Arrests". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  25. Anderson, Winnie Hu and Jenny. "SAT Officials Vow Tighter Test Security After Arrests". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  26. Eltman, Frank (2011-10-25). "SAT officials: Former FBI boss to review security". Boston.com. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  27. "New SAT Security After Cheating Ring". ABC News. 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  28. Anderson, Jenny (2012-03-27). "After Cheating Scandal, SAT and ACT Will Tighten Security". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  29. "New SAT Security After Cheating Ring". ABC News. 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  30. "11 Surrender in SAT Cheating Ring". ABC News. 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  31. "New SAT Security Changes After N.Y. Cheating Ring". ABC News. 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  32. "Kids in Asia have an unfair advantage on the SAT. New security won't help, critics say". miamiherald. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  33. ANDERSON, JENNY. "After Arrest, a Wider Inquiry on SAT Cheating". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  34. "Kids in Asia have an unfair advantage on the SAT. New security won't help, critics say". miamiherald. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  35. "SAT officials say former FBI chief to examine security procedures after NY cheating scandal". www.freehgroup.com. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  36. "SAT Security To Be Heightened; Testing Services Grilled At State Senate Hearing". 2011-10-25. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  37. Zhang, Dr Fred. "New SAT vs Old SAT: Changes You Must Know". blog.prepscholar.com. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  38. "SAT officials say former FBI chief to examine security procedures after NY cheating scandal". www.freehgroup.com. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  39. "The Perfect Score: Cheating on the SAT". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  40. "The Perfect Score: Cheating on the SAT". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  41. "Kurt M. Landgraf". www.washcoll.edu. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  42. The Majority Leader/The Perfect Score/Alone on the Wall, retrieved 2018-11-03
  43. "The Perfect Score: Cheating on the SAT". Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  44. "'The Cheating Pact' true story of Samuel Eshaghoff". article.wn.com. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  45. The Cheating Pact, retrieved 2018-11-19
  46. "Eshaghoff's West Egg Development expands in East Flatbush, Brooklyn". nyrej.com. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  47. June, Sophia (2020-07-28). "Recent Commercial Real Estate Transactions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  48. "Select Projects". West Egg Development. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  49. "2020 Ones to Watch: Sam Eshaghoff, West Egg Development". nyrej.com. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
  50. Leonhardt, Andrea (2018-10-17). "First $1M Homes Have Arrived in East NY — Is a Wave of Developers..." BK Reader. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  51. "Million-Dollar Listings: East New York". Real Estate Weekly. 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  52. Morris, Sebastian (2018-10-08). "Construction Wraps on New Two-Family Homes at 710-714 Wortman Avenue, East New York, Brooklyn". New York YIMBY. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
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