12 Questions
Which of the following universities was NOT involved in the scam according to the federal prosecutors?
Harvard University
What is the estimated amount of money involved in the college admissions cheating scheme?
$25 million
What was the name of William Rick Singer's company?
The Edge College & Career Network, LLC
What was the main goal of the alleged scam?
All of the above
How many people were charged in the Operation Varsity Blues investigation?
50 people
What was the estimated amount of money paid by parents to William Rick Singer?
About $25 million
What was the purpose of the fake athletic profiles created by Singer's associates?
To bribe college coaches to set aside spots for the students
What was the highest amount of money spent by a parent to ensure their child's admission to a university?
$6.5 million
Who were the two actresses charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud?
Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman
Who was the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts who spoke about the case?
Andrew Lelling
What was the message conveyed by U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling regarding the case?
There will not be a separate criminal justice system for the wealthy
How many families did William Rick Singer claim to have helped with 'side doors' to admission?
761 families
Study Notes
The College Admissions Scandal
- The scandal involved students seeking admission to top universities, including Georgetown, Stanford, Yale, UCLA, University of San Diego, University of Southern California, University of Texas, and Wake Forest University.
The Mastermind
- William Rick Singer, founder of The Edge College & Career Network, LLC, orchestrated the scam.
- Singer pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice.
- He could be sentenced to a maximum of 65 years in prison.
The Scam
- From 2011 to 2019, parents paid Singer about $25 million to bribe coaches and university administrators to "designate their children as recruited athletes".
- Singer helped provide 761 families with "side doors" to admission.
- Singer's associates created fake athletic profiles for students, then bribed college coaches to set aside spots for them.
- Singer also bribed test administrators to allow others to take SAT or ACT exams for wealthy parents' children, or secured students extra time to take the exams.
The Investigation
- The FBI uncovered evidence of "large-scale fraud" while working on a separate undercover investigation.
- The probe began in May and involved 200 federal agents across six states.
- Singer ultimately helped investigators by wearing a wire to unravel the scam.
The Parents
- Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud.
- Loughlin and her husband agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 to bolster their two daughters' chances of gaining admission to the University of Southern California.
- 33 parents were charged in total, with some spending from $200,000 up to $6.5 million to ensure their children's admission to their schools of choice.
Test your knowledge about the $25 million college admissions cheating scheme that has sparked a national conversation about wealth and privilege in America's college application process. Learn about the FBI investigation, the accused individuals, and the consequences of the scandal.
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