While a cadet at the Chiss Ascendancy's Taharim Academy situated on Naporar, Mitth'raw'nuru (whose core name is "Thrawn") faced a cheating charge. Irizi'ar'alani "Ziara", a Senior Cadet, was also implicated, despite her only role being the proctor of the very exam where Thrawn was accused of academic dishonesty. It's important to note that, even before these accusations, Thrawn's academic performance placed him at the pinnacle of his class. This accusation surfaced after Thrawn achieved an unprecedentedly high score on a combat simulation exam, surpassing all previous cadets in the Academy's history. This incident transpired between approximately 39 BBY and 37 BBY, the years during which Thrawn was a student at the Taharim Academy.
During the contested simulation, Thrawn devised a novel stealth maneuver that effectively disabled the sensors of an enemy vessel. This action rendered his own ship invisible to the remaining opposing ships, ultimately contributing to his extraordinarily high score. The exam was a combat simulation specifically programmed to prevent replication with identical parameters. Thrawn maintained his innocence, asserting that the maneuver's success was contingent upon the simulation's precise parameters. Consequently, he was unable to replicate the exam to substantiate his claims of innocence.
At the official tribunal convened to address the cheating accusation, the Academy staff largely operated under the assumption of Thrawn's guilt. The young cadet appeared resigned to the prospect of expulsion. However, Senior Cadet Ziara, harboring suspicions of Thrawn's innocence, reached out to the office of General Ba'kif during a lunch break. Much to the astonishment and belated realization of the assembled instructors and Aristocra, Ba'kif unexpectedly appeared at the tribunal. The General inquired whether the instructors possessed records detailing the parameters of Thrawn's exam, which they confirmed. He then insisted that Thrawn demonstrate the maneuver in a combat exercise within the system, utilizing those exact parameters.
In the ensuing exercise, Thrawn successfully executed his stealth maneuver, impressing Colonel [Wevary], thereby proving his innocence and showcasing his exceptional abilities.
Both Cadets Thrawn and Ziara were cleared of all charges. Following his acquittal, Thrawn extended an invitation to the Senior Cadet to celebrate. He promised "drama" and "intrigue." While the young woman anticipated music and drinking, Thrawn instead escorted her to an art museum on Naporar, where they engaged in the analysis of alien artwork.
Years later, in 19 BBY, Senior Captain Thrawn replicated the same stealth maneuver during a reconnaissance mission while infiltrating the Rapacc system.
The cheating charge against Thrawn was presented in a flashback sequence within the 2020 novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, authored by Timothy Zahn.