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Finance Firm Founder Gets 6 Months in College Bribery Scam
The founder of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm was sentenced to six months behind bars for paying about $450,000 in bribes to boost his two daughters’ entrance exam scores and get one of them into Georgetown University as a bogus tennis recruit.
Manuel Henriquez, the 57-year-old founder and ex-CEO of Hercules Capital based in Palo Alto, California, cried and dabbed his eyes with a tissue as he prayed for forgiveness from his children and other families he hurt, and asked the judge for mercy.
“There is no perfect way to express how broken I feel in my heart and soul,” said Henriquez, who sat next to his lawyer and wore a face mask for much of the hearing held via videoconference because of the coronavirus pandemic.
His wife, Elizabeth Henriquez, was sentenced in March to seven months behind bars. She is currently locked up at a prison in California and is expected to be released in January, according to online records.
U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton called Henriquez a hypocrite who donated money to aid children, while at the same time using his wealth and privilege to put his kids ahead of other less fortunate students in the college admissions process.
“It’s a sad day,” the judge said.
The founder of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm was sentenced to six months behind bars for paying about $450,000 in bribes to boost his two daughters’ entrance exam scores and get one of them into Georgetown University as a bogus tennis recruit.
Manuel Henriquez, the 57-year-old founder and ex-CEO of Hercules Capital based in Palo Alto, California, cried and dabbed his eyes with a tissue as he prayed for forgiveness from his children and other families he hurt, and asked the judge for mercy.
“There is no perfect way to express how broken I feel in my heart and soul,” said Henriquez, who sat next to his lawyer and wore a face mask for much of the hearing held via videoconference because of the coronavirus pandemic.
His wife, Elizabeth Henriquez, was sentenced in March to seven months behind bars. She is currently locked up at a prison in California and is expected to be released in January, according to online records.
U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton called Henriquez a hypocrite who donated money to aid children, while at the same time using his wealth and privilege to put his kids ahead of other less fortunate students in the college admissions process.
“It’s a sad day,” the judge said.