The International Wine Center in New York City runs the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) programs in the USA. They claim this is a program that trains you to become a wine professional.
The claim is totally bogus. They are not certified to run a school for sommeliers or wine professionals. They are not even registered as a school in New York! Their claims violate New York state laws*. This means their certificates and diplomas are illegitimate.
You cannot legally use a WSET certificate to gain employment, not only in New York, but anywhere in the USA. You can even loose your job if you have a WSET diploma on your resume!
This company has been defrauding students for at least ten years, which means thousands of people have spent untold amounts of money with this company. Since the IWC is the most popular wine education program in the USA, this is probably a multi-million dollar scam.
*The IWC/WSET have violated the following NY laws regulations by claiming they offer professional training for the food & wine industries:
New York Laws: Education : (5001 - 5010) Private Trade And Correspondence Schools
“Schools required to be licensed or registered. No private school or computer training facility which charges tuition or fees for instruction and which is not exempted hereunder shall be operated by any person or persons, firm, corporation, or private organization for the purpose of teaching or giving instruction in any subject or subjects, unless it is licensed or registered by the department. ”
See also:
Section 126.10 of the New York State Eductation Departement Regulations