Ph.D.s in Europe are a little different than in the U.S.A. because Jan Hendrik Schön had the same thing happen when he was discovered to be a fraud. In America, you pay to go to a university so you own the degree. In Europe, it seems to be more of a license so if they don't like you, they just take it back. No refund on your time spent. Actual proof of fraud is a no-brainer, of course, but these often seem to be punitive rather than evidence-based.
It was believed most of Stapel's old data had been destroyed, so nothing could be proven about his thesis, but he isn't taking any chances - he revoked his own Ph.D, according to this statement released by the university.
UPDATE: Disgraced Dutch Pyschologist Returns Doctoral Degree by Martin Enserink at Science
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