Bill Ackman mocked for defending wife Neri Oxman after she admits to plagiarism in dissertation

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Bill Ackman, the outspoken hedge fund mogul, finds himself under intense scrutiny as he steps up to defend his wife, Neri Oxman, following her admission of plagiarism within her doctoral dissertation.

This move comes in the wake of Ackman's recent public condemnation of another academic over similar allegations, sparking a storm of online criticism and accusations of double standards, as reported by New York Post.

Bill Ackman suggests wife targeted after his attacks on Claudine Gay

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has suggested his wife was unfairly targeted by Business Insider after he publicly criticized Harvard University's president Claudine Gay over accusations of plagiarism which preceded her resignation this week.

On Thursday, January 4, Ackman's wife Neri Oxman, an academic and former architecture professor at MIT, admitted to instances of plagiarism in her 2010 PhD dissertation. This came shortly after Ackman slammed Gay on social media for alleged "serious plagiarism issues" in her academic work, saying she should leave Harvard altogether.

Ackman implied the scrutiny of his wife's dissertation was blowback from his vocal attacks on Gay. "You know that you struck a chord when they go after your wife, in this case my love and partner in life, @NeriOxman," he wrote.

Even as he boasted of Oxman's academic achievements, Ackman portrayed the situation sympathetically, calling his wife "human" and saying "she makes mistakes, owns them, and apologizes when appropriate."

Bill Ackman's wife Neri Oxman apologizes for paragraphs copied without quotes

In a post on X on Thursday, Oxman acknowledged failing to properly cite four paragraphs from her 330-page MIT doctoral dissertation by not placing the text in quotation marks. "I regret and apologize for these errors," she wrote, adding she would ask MIT to make any necessary corrections.

Oxman, 47 completed her PhD at MIT in 2010 and later became a tenured professor there before leaving in 2021 after marrying Ackman. Under MIT policy, Oxman's lack of quotes around the unattributed text constitutes plagiarism, which can warrant suspension or expulsion.

Internet erupts with mockery and criticism aimed at Bill Ackman

As news of Ackman's defense of his wife amid plagiarism accusations spread across the internet, a wave of mockery and criticism surged. One individual on X quipped, "Oh Billy! Get a taste of your own medicine. More to come!" while another pointedly remarked, "Ok so when wives of rich guys do it: Plagiarism is okay. When a black lady does it: It’s not okay. Do I have that right?"

The online chorus continued with a user highlighting a perceived double standard in Ackman's actions: "You said Gay's errors were so grievous that she should resign not only the presidency but her tenured faculty position. For your wife, they're errors that she should own and apologize for, end of story. Why didn't that standard apply to Gay? Why the double standard?" Another added sardonically, "By when appropriate, you mean when she gets caught."

Amidst the reactions, a critical tone emerged. "This exposes hypocrisy on the highest levels," expressed one commenter.

An incisive critique followed, lambasting Ackman for his response to criticism against his wife while being perceived as an aggressive figure in business: "How dare you blatantly pursue other people's wives, sisters, and mothers, yet become infuriated and offended when someone so much as whispers about your wife? Your hypocrisy knows no bounds! You've built your empire as an activist investor, ruthlessly attacking people, infiltrating companies, and bulldozing through boards and management just to turn a quick profit. You've made billions through aggression, yet you can't handle a fraction of that aimed at you. The audacity is astounding!"

 

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