Nationwide College Cheating Scandal - Actresses, Business Owners Charged, Mar 2019

[BetteDavisEyes]

College coaches indicted in admissions bribery case

Boston – College coaches and others have been charged in a sweeping admissions bribery case unsealed in federal court.

The racketeering conspiracy charges unveiled Tuesday were brought against the coaches at schools including Wake Forest University, Georgetown and the University of Southern California.

Authorities say the coaches accepted bribes in exchange for admitting students as athletes, regardless of their ability...

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Actresses, prominent business owners charged in nationwide college admissions cheating scandal

"Dozens of people have been charged in a nationwide college admissions cheating and athletic recruitment scheme, federal officials announced Tuesday.

The United States Attorney’s Office will hold a press conference Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Boston to announce the charges.

Prominent entertainers, business owners and college coaches are implicated in the scandal that involves boosting SAT scores and bribing college administrators, according to the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors say parents paid an admissions consultant $25 million from 2011 through Feb. 2019 to bribe coaches and administrators to label their children as recruited athletes to boost their chances of getting into schools.

Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are among those named in the complaint. They face charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud."

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

TV actresses among 40 people charged in college exam cheating plot

The scheme involved students who attended or were seeking to attend Georgetown University, Stanford University, Yale and other top colleges.

 

[kay74]

Now that we have someone decent in the FBI, these things are coming about and will be taken care of. Before this, never did anyone think this was going on. What a travesty

 

[kay74]

Good for the FBI to uncover this. What a travesty!

 

[CrimeDawg123]

It's bad enough that elite universities already have a 2-tiered admissions system - one for the prominent and wealthy, and the other for the qualified. This sinks to a new low. If this is all true, I just can't get over the parenting narcissism involved here.

ETA Here is the link for the Key Worldwide Foundation: The Key Worldwide – Unlocking Potential Creating Opportunity

 

[Cortne]

Who is actually surprised? Not I.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

The documents, which were unsealed Tuesday morning, allege that the accused aimed to facilitate students getting into high-profile D-1 schools, including Georgetown, Stanford, UCLA, Yale, University of Texas, University of San Diego, University of Southern California and Wake Forest as recruited athletes regardless of their athletic ability.

Some of those who were indicted included college coaches but there's no indication the schools were involved, according to NBC News.

Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are among the two of more than 40 charged in connection with the scheme, which was dubbed "Operation Varsity Blues," according to court documents.

Documents at link.

Actresses Among Those Indicted in College Exam Scandal

 

[Cortne]

Aunt Becky? Wow can not wait to see all the names.

 

[JanetElaine]

Aunt Becky? Wow can not wait to see all the names.

That was my first reaction - "aunt Becky?!?" lol

One of her daughters just started at USC last fall. One of the colleges that were named.

 

[Spellbound]

I did not know who Rick Singer was, so of course I searched.

About Rick Singer and The Key – The Key
About Rick Singer and The Key
As founder of The Key, Rick Singer has spent the past 25 years helping students discover their life passion, and guiding them along with their families through the complex college admissions maze. Rick draws on his life experiences of being a father and college athletics coach. He has seen first hand the stress that the college admissions and athletics recruiting process can put on a family. Over the years, Rick and his team of coaches have helped thousands of students fulfill their life passion in getting into the right college to achieve their dreams. Using The Key method, Key coaches help unlock the full potential of your son or daughter, and set them on a course to excel in life.

 

[Elisaa444]

Aunt Becky? Wow can not wait to see all the names.

BBM
I don't know why, but I am surprised to see her name here (Lori Loughlin.) I can't wait to hear more about this too!!

^jmo,moo,imo,etc^

 

[Herat]

How embarassing for these kids that they can’t make it on their own and their rich helicopter parents have to buy an education for them.

And recruited as “athletes”. The other athletic students must really despise these rich-kid students.

<modsnip - off topic>

 

[Elisaa444]

That was my first reaction - "aunt Becky?!?" lol

One of her daughters just started at USC last fall. One of the colleges that were named.

hmm. Ok. Now that is interesting !

^jmo,moo,imo,etc^

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Here is the list of defendants: Investigations of College Admissions and Testing Bribery Scheme

Here is the indictment: https://www.justice.gov/file/1142881/download

 

[anonypotomous]

Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughli arrested for paying bribes to get their children into elite schools, including Georgetown, Stanford, UCLA and Yale.

Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin Are Among 40 Celebs, CEOs Arrested in a College Admissions Cheating Scandal

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

BBM
I don't know why, but I am surprised to see her name here (Lori Loughlin.) I can't wait to hear more about this too!!

^jmo,moo,imo,etc^

More about Loughlin -

Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin among actresses, CEOs charged in alleged college admissions scam

The documents say that Loughlin and her husband "agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team -- despite the fact that they did not participate in crew -- thereby facilitating their admission to USC."

Officials say they have emails from Loughlin.

Both were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud

 

[Elley Mae]

Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin among 50 snared in elite college cheating scam, authorities say

Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin among 50 snared in elite college cheating scam, authorities say

Singer, who authorities said will plead guilty to racketeering, ran the charity, Key Worldwide Foundation, which received $25 million in total to guarantee the admissions, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said during a Tuesday news conference. The charitable foundation was used as a front to run the scam.

The children’s parents would allegedly pay a specified amount of money fully aware it would be used to gain college admission. The money would then go toward an SAT or ACT administrator or a college athletic coach who would fake a profile for the prospective student — regardless of their athletic ability, according to the charging documents.

Singer would help his clients' children by having another individual take SAT or ACT tests on behalf of the students, officials said. Parents would allegedly pay up to $75,000 for each test and wire money to "charitable accounts."

..... wealthy ppl donating to “charitable accounts” bribery money then probably writing it off on taxes.

Hmmm

 

[Elley Mae]

Athletic coaches from Yale, Stanford, USC, Wake Forest and Georgetown, among others, are implicated, as well as parents and exam administrators, the release says.

Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin Among Dozens Indicted in Alleged College Admissions Scam

The documents say actress Loughlin — best known for her role as Aunt Becky on the ABC sitcom Full House — and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”

 

[Herat]

$500,000 !!!!!!!!

USC is certainly not worth half a million to get your stupid kids a name education.

Mail fraud & wire fraud are BIG LEAGUE charges

This is so absolutely lame