It was a story that drove Black Lives Matter advocates and the local media into a tizzy – Three young black women allegedly assaulted by 10-12 white men and women on a CDTA bus, all the while being barraged with racial slurs.

It even received national coverage when leading Democrat presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, tweeted this message of support for the story and the girls involved:

Except, it never happened. They made it all up.

(Albany Times Union) Suspended University at Albany student Alexis Briggs tearfully apologized Tuesday while pleading guilty to her role in fabricating a story that she and two friends were victims of an alleged racial attack on a CDTA bus on Jan. 30.

“You knew it wasn’t true?” Albany County Judge Stephen Herrick asked Briggs, who was recently suspended from UAlbany for two years.

“Yes,” she answered.

Briggs, 21, of Elmira Heights, Chemung County, faced up to a year in jail if convicted of misdemeanor charges that included third-degree assault and falsely reporting an incident.

Briggs pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a noncriminal violation similar to a traffic ticket. Under the deal, she must perform 100 hours of community service within the next 10 months and avoid any new criminal charges within the next year.

Briggs does not have to cooperate against her co-defendants, former college suitemates Asha Burwell, 21, and Ariel Agudio, 20, both of Long Island, who are headed to trial on allegations they concocted the story. (read more)