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Ohio State reels from multiple scandals amid wider crisis in higher education

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 1061 words · By Stephen Starr
Academic Freedom Accountability and Ethics Institutional Decay
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When Rocky Ratliff transferred to Ohio State University in Columbus to study political science and wrestle for the college in the mid-1990s, he soon found himself being sexually abused by a prominent member of the university athletic department’s medical…

Claims checked 22
Techniques found 3
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left14%
Center72%
Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

When Rocky Ratliff transferred to Ohio State University in Columbus to study political science and wrestle for the college in the mid-1990s, he soon found himself being sexually abused by a prominent member of the university athletic department’s medical…

Why it matters

At the time, Dr Richard Strauss, who is believed to have abused hundreds of student athletes over a period of decades at Ohio State, and who killed himself in 2005, would subject young men to intense abuse, including rape.

Common ground

With my high ankle sprain, I saw him almost every day for about a month,” recalls Ratliff, today a lawyer based in Marion, Ohio.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/24/ohio-state-university-scandals

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 60% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 22 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 12
info Single Source 4
check_circle Corroborated 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
schedule
Claim 1: “Wexner, who hired Epstein as his financier in the 1980s, has donated or pledged about $200m to the university over the course of several decades”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 2: “the Ohio legislature’s banning diversity, equity and inclusion measures at higher education institutions forced the university to eliminate eight programs and combine 20 others together”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 3: “the university’s research enterprise is now the 12th largest in the country – larger than Harvard and Yale”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 4: “Only four other states have experienced a steeper percentage decline in international student enrollments than Ohio”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “The sexual abuse at Ohio State was featured in a HBO documentary released in 2025”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 6: “Krisanthe Vlachos... sought money from billionaire and Jeffrey Epstein associate, Les Wexner”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim that Krisanthe Vlachos sought money from Les Wexner is explicitly mentioned in The Guardian article, but not corroborated by the other provided sources (which focus on Wexner's general biography or Carter's resignation).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Leslie Herbert Wexner is an American billionaire businessman and political activist. He is the co-founder and chair emeritus of Bath & Body Works, Inc. He has been the principal in Abercrombie & Fitch…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Wexner
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Among Carter’s transgressions was his facilitating of $60,000 worth of state funds for the podcaster, who also sought money from billionaire and Jeffrey Epstein associate, Les Wexner, according to the…
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/24/ohio-state-u…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Wexner Built a Retail Empire from a $5,000 Loan. Leslie Wexner, 81, is the founder and CEO of L Brands, a retail and fashion empire that includes Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works.
https://www.aol.com/news/les-wexner-billionaire-former-clien…
info
Claim 7: “Rocky Ratliff transferred to Ohio State University in Columbus to study political science and wrestle for the college in the mid-1990s”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results for this claim discuss other Ohio State scandals and board meetings, but none mention Rocky Ratliff, his transfer, his major, or his wrestling career.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 8, 2026 ... Chuck Berry And it was said a number of boys confided in Jim Jordan and nothing was done. 1d · 5 likes.
https://www.facebook.com/NBC4Columbus/posts/a-former-ohio-st…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 14, 2026 ... So awful the harm that has been done. Thank you to all the survivors for speaking out. I know it cannot be easy, and the sacrifices made to ...
https://www.facebook.com/NBC4Columbus/posts/breaking-a-centr…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nov 6, 2015 ... The Board of Trustees met on Thursday, November 5 and Friday, November 6, 2015, at. Longaberger Alumni House, Columbus, Ohio, pursuant to ...
https://trustees.osu.edu/sites/default/files/migrated/assets…
schedule
Claim 8: “On 7 May, 30 former Ohio State footballers represented by Ratliff were added to a federal lawsuit against the university for the Strauss sexual abuse scandal”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 9: “the university has settled with hundreds of victims to the tune of $61m and counting”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists of general information about the state of Ohio and does not mention settlement amounts or the number of victims for the Strauss case.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ohio (/ oʊˈhaɪ.oʊ / ⓘ oh-HY-oh) [14] is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Canadian province of Ontario to the north (through Lake Erie), Pennsylvania to the east, W…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On the State of Ohio's official website you'll find information and services to help you live, work, travel, and do business.
https://ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/site/home/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 22, 2024 · Physical map of Ohio showing major cities, terrain, national parks, rivers, and surrounding countries with international borders and outline maps. Key facts about Ohio.
https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/united-states/ohio
help
Claim 10: “Carter allegedly fabricated to the university a business trip to Florida that was instead a trip he took with Vlachos”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim in the search results.
check_circle
Claim 11: “its president, Walter ‘Ted’ Carter Jr, resigned after it emerged he used public funds to help Krisanthe Vlachos... to build her podcasting business”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that President Walter 'Ted' Carter Jr. resigned due to an inappropriate relationship with someone (Krisanthe Vlachos) seeking public resources for her business.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The president, Walter Carter Jr., who has led the school for two years, said in a statement that the relationship was with “someone seeking public resources” and that he had “made a mistake in allowin…
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/us/ohio-state-president-r…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On March 7, 2026, The Ohio State University President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. resigned after he disclosed an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal bu…
https://compliance.osu.edu/focus-areas/carter-investigation
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. JobsOhio paid $60,000 to support four podcasts hosted by the woman linked to Ted Carter's resignation from Ohio State University. (Jodi Miller/Ohio State University via AP)AP.
https://www.cleveland.com/open/2026/03/jobsohio-spent-15k-an…
help
Claim 12: “The university is now on its fourth president in six years”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim in the search results.
schedule
Claim 13: “Time Magazine recently ranked Ohio State the fifth best public university in America”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 14: “In February, a professor of ethics assaulted a videographer who was attempting to ask a former university president questions about Wexner”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 15: “the university’s football team, winning three national championships in the 1960s and 1970s”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other sources confirm Ohio State claims national championships in 1961, 1968, and 1970, which are three championships within the 1960s and 1970s.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Buckeyes claim nine national championships including seven from the major wire-service selectors: AP Poll or Coaches' Poll. The program has also captured 41 ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_football
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 26, 2025 ... ohio state claims 9 national championships: 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014, and 2024.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/1ia2kue/a_deeper_dive_…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 21, 2025 ... Trying to figure out who owns the most national championships in college football is not for the weak of heart.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ohio-state-w…
check_circle
Claim 16: “Dr Richard Strauss... abused hundreds of student athletes over a period of decades at Ohio State, and who killed himself in 2005”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources, including Wikipedia and news reports, confirm that Dr. Richard Strauss abused student athletes at Ohio State over several decades and that he is deceased (though the specific date of suicide is not explicitly in the snippets, the abuse and his death are confirmed).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Ohio State University abuse scandal centered on allegations of sexual abuse that occurred between 1978 and 1998, while Richard Strauss was employed as a ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_University_abuse_sc…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Learn more about the Ohio State's investigation into the Strauss's abuse and the university's response.
https://straussinvestigation.osu.edu/home
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 7, 2026 ... Richard Strauss when they played football for the Buckeyes. More than a dozen former NFL players join sex abuse lawsuits against Ohio State ...
https://www.facebook.com/nbcphiladelphia/posts/all-say-they-…
schedule
Claim 17: “According to the university, it contributes around $19bn to the state economy and supports 117,000 jobs”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 18: “the birthrate falling almost 16% since 2006 [in Ohio]”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 19: “the Republican congressman Jim Jordan... was a coach on the aforementioned wrestling program during some of the years of abuse”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 20: “Ohio State University has been the biggest brand in the state and one of the biggest in American higher education”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence consists of general Wikipedia and government pages about the state of Ohio and maps; none of the sources provide data on 'brand' size or rankings of the university's brand relative to others in higher education.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ohio (/ oʊˈhaɪ.oʊ / ⓘ oh-HY-oh) [14] is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Canadian province of Ontario to the north (through Lake Erie), Pennsylvania to the east, W…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On the State of Ohio's official website you'll find information and services to help you live, work, travel, and do business.
https://ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/site/home/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 22, 2024 · Physical map of Ohio showing major cities, terrain, national parks, rivers, and surrounding countries with international borders and outline maps. Key facts about Ohio.
https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/united-states/ohio
check_circle
Claim 21: “Among Carter’s transgressions was his facilitating of $60,000 worth of state funds for the podcaster”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including a university report and news articles, confirm that Carter misused his position to direct resources to Krisanthe Vlachos, specifically mentioning $60,000 in funds.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — An internal Ohio State investigation found former President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. misused his position, and university resources, on a personal relationship. The report, released this ...
https://www.thelantern.com/2026/04/carter-found-guilty-of-im…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A report released Tuesday by The Ohio State University is answering questions a lot of people have about the sudden resignation of former university President Ted Carter Jr. The report concludes Carte…
https://www.wosu.org/politics-government/2026-04-21/new-repo…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A 47-page report released Tuesday by Ohio State concludes that former President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. misused his authority for nearly two years to direct university resources to a close personal as…
https://columbusfrontline.com/osu-investigation-ted-carter-m…
schedule
Claim 22: “the amount of research money that’s been spent by the university... passed $1bn per year a few years ago”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.