The architect of the largest U.S. college admissions fraud scheme ever uncovered was sentenced on Wednesday to 3-1/2 years in prison for helping wealthy parents secure the admission of their children to elite universities through cheating and bribery. The sentence imposed on former college admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer by U.S. District Judge Rya Zobel in Boston marked the longest issued to any of the dozens of people charged in the sprawling “Operation Varsity Blues” investigation.
Singer, 62, admitted in 2019 to facilitating cheating on college entrance exams and funneling money from wealthy parents to corrupt university coaches to secure the admission of their children as fake athletic recruits. The years-long investigation into the scheme exposed inequalities in higher education and resulted in the conviction of more than 50 people. Singer’s clients included Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, and Bill McGlashan, a founder of TPG Capital, one of the largest private equity investment firms in the world.
— source reuters.com | Jan 5, 2023