Acts of plagiarism often have significant costs, especially in the fields of politics and higher education. Numerous high-profile cases of plagiarism have led to the resignations of politicians, government ministers, educational administrators, university presidents, and other officials over the past decade.

The latest example is Annette Schavan, who recently resigned as Minister of Education in Germany after serious accusations of plagiarism in her doctoral thesis surfaced. The university that originally granted her doctorate investigated the allegations and has rescinded the degree. Schavan denies having plagiarized and is planning to sue her university.

This is a second ministerial resignation over plagiarism in the government of Angela Merkel. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg had to resign his post as Minister of Defense in Germany in 2011 over accusations of plagiarism.

The BBC reports on the Schavan case.