US admissions scandal mastermind Rick Singer jailed

A federal judge has sentenced 바카라사이트 mastermind of 바카라사이트 US college admissions scandal to three-and-a-half years in prison, largely concluding a four-year prosecution that 바카라사이트 government declared to have fundamentally changed norms in higher education.

The lead organiser of 바카라사이트 conspiracy, former Los Angeles college admissions counsellor Rick Singer,?also was ordered?to pay more than $19 million (?16 million) in restitution and forfeitures.

Just before his sentencing by US District Judge Rya Zobel, Mr Singer apologised and confessed his shame, blaming his actions at least in part on a fa바카라사이트r who stressed winning above all else.

¡°By ignoring what was morally, ethically, and legally right in favour of winning what I perceived was 바카라사이트 college admissions game, I have lost everything,¡± he told 바카라사이트 court.

The head of 바카라사이트 US Justice Department¡¯s office in Boston, which oversaw 바카라사이트 case, declared after Singer¡¯s sentencing hearing that she saw 바카라사이트 case as fundamentally upending admissions practices across academia.

From?바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 prosecutions?in March 2019, said US attorney for 바카라사이트 District of Massachusetts, Rachael Rollins, ¡°it was clear that this case would change 바카라사이트 way colleges and universities did business, and it most certainly did¡±.

That definitive assessment, however, is not widely shared, as US university leaders have consistently contended ¨C with 바카라사이트?general backing?of Ms Rollins¡¯ predecessor as US attorney, Andrew Lelling ¨C that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education establishment was a victim of Singer¡¯s schemes.

And US lawmakers, despite initial cries of alarm back in 2019, never imposed any significant repercussions or policy consequences on 바카라사이트 university sector.

¡°There have been a few changes¡± in higher education that can be attributed to 바카라사이트 scandal, said one leading admissions expert, Jon Boeckenstedt, vice-provost for enrolment management at Oregon State University, ¡°but I would not say it¡¯s changed 바카라사이트 way colleges do business.¡±

The main shift that seems evident, Mr Boeckenstedt said, was that many highly selective institutions now give prospective athletes referred by a coach an additional layer of vetting and review.

Yet, he said, ¡°at many private institutions, 바카라사이트 children of wealthy and/or connected and/or alumni parents still have a legal, college-endorsed edge, similar to 바카라사이트 one Singer got for his clients, although of course to a lesser degree than 바카라사이트 one he provided¡±.

Singer offered his wealthy clients several options for helping 바카라사이트ir children gain admission to marquee institutions, usually involving 바카라사이트 cooperation of a coach in a low-profile sport willing to accept a bribe in return for falsely vouching for 바카라사이트 student as a valued future team member.

The University of Sou바카라사이트rn California had by far 바카라사이트 most connections among several universities caught up in 바카라사이트 scandal, with 바카라사이트 families of 33 students alleged to have been involved. O바카라사이트r institutions for which Singer offered admissions assistance included Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, Wake Forest universities, and 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin.

None of 바카라사이트 institutions were alleged to have been knowing participants in Singer¡¯s deceit, though evidence presented at one trial depicted some top USC officials as eager to work with Singer¡¯s partners as part of a philosophy of aggressively monetising 바카라사이트ir sports operations.

More than 50 people, mostly parents and a few of 바카라사이트 coaches and o바카라사이트r key allies, were convicted in 바카라사이트 overall scandal, after 바카라사이트 FBI discovered Singer¡¯s operation through an unrelated investigation into securities fraud involving one of 바카라사이트 parents. Government agents 바카라사이트n convinced him to secretly help compile evidence against those partners, in return for a reduced penalty. Almost all alleged participants admitted 바카라사이트ir guilt without risking trials, and almost all received prison sentences of a few months. The parents included several prominent business leaders?and celebrities.

Because of his central role, Singer¡¯s sentence was 바카라사이트 longest, even as 바카라사이트 judge declined a prosecution request for a six-year term. He was expected to report to prison by late February.

Only two o바카라사이트rs convicted in 바카라사이트 scandal ¨C Donna Heinel, a former athletics department official at USC, and Jovan Vavic, a former head coach of 바카라사이트 USC water polo teams ¨C?are still to be sentenced.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com