When a guy who bluffs and lies his way through life, and plagiarizes his research, obtains a PhD, what does that PhD actually show?

Sounds snarky but I mean the question seriously - how much easier is it to meet the criteria if you have no scruples? It's not like universities aren't trying to catch cheats, but a wheelbarrow of these certificates would represent quite a time investment for a productive person running businesses, if completed by the book.

The university specializes in post-grad distance education, which could make it easier to half-ass, but there are campuses near where the ATO raid happened so no reason to conclude he did it online.