[pessimizer]

> Criminal charges for cheating on an exam? Seems a bit absurd to me.

Depends on how you think about it. They're defrauding the institution out of a credential. It really depends on how the relevant laws are worded.

Would you expect criminal charges if you got caught counterfeiting a lottery ticket?

I find everything you said interesting, of course, but I think the legal thing is slightly more complicated.