ESPN Admits to Decade-Long Emmy Awards Scam

Network Used Fake Names to Secure Over 30 Awards for Ineligible On-Air Talent

ESPN has been found to have used fake names to secure over 30 Emmy awards for ineligible on-air talent since 2010, according to a report by The Athletic.
The scheme involved submitting counterfeit names in Emmy entries, winning awards for these non-existent personnel, and then re-engraving the statuettes to bestow upon actual on-air personalities.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), which oversees the Emmys, discovered the fraudulent practice, prompting an investigation by both NATAS and ESPN.
ESPN has admitted to the scheme, describing it as a 'misguided attempt' at acknowledging on-air personnel, and has revamped their submission process to prevent any such future incidents.
Several ESPN employees have been disqualified from future Emmy participation and at least 37 returned trophies as a result of the investigation.