Global InformationVarsity Blues scandal information
| Duration | 2011–2018 |
|---|---|
| Venue | United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts |
| Location | United States |
| Also known as | Operation Varsity Blues |
| Reporter | First Reporter - Julie Taylor-Vaz |
| Organized by | William Rick Singer via
|
| Accused | 53 |
| Charges | Felony conspiracy to commit:
|
In 2019, a scandal arose over a criminal conspiracy to influence undergraduate admissions decisions at several top American universities. The investigation into the conspiracy was code named Operation Varsity Blues.[1][2] The investigation and related charges were made public on March 12, 2019, by United States federal prosecutors. At least 53[3] people have been charged as part of the conspiracy,[4][5] a number of whom pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty. Thirty-three parents of college applicants were accused of paying more than $25 million between 2011 and 2018 to William Rick Singer, organizer of the scheme, who used part of the money to fraudulently inflate entrance exam test scores and bribe college officials.[6][7] Of the 32 parents named in a Federal Bureau of Investigation affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, more than half had apparently paid bribes to have their children enrolled at the University of Southern California (USC).[8]
Singer controlled the two firms involved in the scheme, Key Worldwide Foundation and The Edge College & Career Network (also known as "The Key"). He pleaded guilty and cooperated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in gathering incriminating evidence against co-conspirators.[9][10] He said he unethically facilitated college admission for children in more than 750 families.[11] Singer faced up to 65 years in prison, and a fine of $1.25 million. In January 2023, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison plus forfeiture of over $10 million.[12]
Prosecutors in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, led by United States Attorney Andrew Lelling, unsealed indictments and complaints for felony conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud against 50 people, including Singer, who has been "portrayed [...] as a criminal mastermind",[13] university staff he bribed, and parents who were alleged to have used bribery and fraud to secure admission for their children to 11 universities.[14][15][16][17] Among the accused parents are prominent business-people and well-known actors.[18][19] Those charges have a maximum term of 20 years in prison, supervised release of three years, and a $250,000 fine. One month later, 16 of the parents were also indicted by prosecutors for alleged felony conspiracy to commit money laundering. This third charge has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, supervised release of three years, and a $500,000 fine.
The investigation's name, Operation Varsity Blues, comes from a 1999 film of the same name.[1][2] The case is the largest of its kind to be prosecuted by the US Justice Department.[20]
- ^ a b Kates, Graham (March 12, 2019). "Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman among dozens charged in college bribery scheme". CBS News. Archived from the original on March 12, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ a b Richer, Alanna; Binkley, Collin (March 12, 2019). "TV stars and coaches charged in college bribery scheme". AP News. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:16was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Garrison, Joey (June 28, 2019). "Dad pleads guilty to paying $250,000 to get son into USC as fake volleyball recruit". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ Ormseth, Matthew; Rubin, Joel (August 19, 2019). "A $100,000 bribe got teen a UCLA soccer scholarship without even playing". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- ^ Eustachewich, Lia (March 12, 2019). "Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin busted in college admissions cheating scandal". New York Post. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ Trevino, Robert (March 12, 2019). "Michael Center, University of Texas men's tennis coach implicated in admissions scheme, placed on administrative leave". The Daily Texan. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ Hamilton, Matt; Ryan, Harriet (March 14, 2019). "USC's central role in college admissions scandal brings anger and dismay". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Siemaszko, Corky; Kaplan, Ezra (March 12, 2019). "College admissions scheme mastermind William Rick Singer wore wire to expose scam". NBC News. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ Raymond, Nate (March 13, 2019). "Ex-Stanford sailing coach pleads guilty to college admission bribe scheme". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ Winter, Tom (March 13, 2019). "College cheating ringleader says he helped more than 750 families with admissions scheme". NBC. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
sentencewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Golden, Daniel; Burke, Doris (October 8, 2019). "An Unseen Victim of the College Admissions Scandal: The High School Tennis Champion Aced Out by a Billionaire Family". ProPublica. Archived from the original on October 12, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ "Full indictment on the nationwide college admission scheme". CNN. March 12, 2019. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
- ^ Woods, Amanda (March 16, 2019). "UC Berkeley joins list of schools ensnared in college admissions scandal". New York Post. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
CBSNW20190313was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
peoplefelonywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Medina, Jennifer; Benner, Katie; Taylor, Kate (March 12, 2019). "Actresses, Business Leaders and Other Wealthy Parents Charged in U.S. College Entry Fraud". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 14, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ Korn, Melissa; Levitz, Jennifer; Ailworth, Erin (March 13, 2019). "Federal Prosecutors Charge Dozens in College Admissions Cheating Scheme". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- ^ Garrison, Joey; Puente, Maria (March 12, 2019). "Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin among 50 indicted in largest-ever case alleging bribery to get kids into colleges". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2019.