Vizzio board backs CEO despite sham doctorate; Lee admits ‘grave misjudgment’

Photo credit: Vizzio

The board of Singapore-based Vizzio Technologies has issued a statement in support of its founder and CEO, Jon Lee, despite faking his credentials 23 years ago and repeating the act in recent times.

Tech in Asia reported that Lee, the AI startup’s founder and CEO, has admitted to lying about his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Cambridge.

Signed by Vizzio chairman Abu Bakar Mohd Nor, the statement stresses the board’s unwavering support and confirms that Lee had informed the board about his lack of a doctor’s degree.

“We are resolved to support Jon and to continue Vizzio’s mission and the future of our business earmarked by the many successful and proven projects since its inception,” the statement read.

Lee is a key driving force for Vizzio, which is tied to his other ventures, LightMagic and Polytron.

The statement continued: “We cannot, and will not, take his life’s work away from him, as he paid his dues some 23 years ago as a young man.”

Notably, Lee was found to have fabricated his credentials when he was chief technology officer at a dot-com startup, Elipva, over 20 years ago. He touted fellowships and awards from Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among other claims.

Lee left Elipva in 2001 after a Business Times exposé revealed his deceit.

Vizzio’s board further noted that the AI tech developed by the startup is not dependent on a doctorate. “The technology has since proven itself and has been successfully deployed in Singapore and other parts of the world,” the statement said.

But even as Lee expressed remorse during his interview with Tech in Asia, parts of his story were disputed.

For instance, a forged Ph.D. certificate was sent to a current Vizzio investor as part of due diligence. During the interview, Lee denied sending it personally, but the investor insisted to Tech in Asia that he did.

On January 17, Lee released a statement explaining his actions and mentioned his intention to address the matter before Tech in Asia reported it. This was part of his long-term plan to transition the company’s leadership since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, he did not follow through on this plan.