Rick Singer's scheme — fraudulent testing, creating star athletes out of kids who'd never played the sports, millions in bribes — was so over the top. But for all the red flags and some of America's best universities, nothing was done.
Singer boasted to parents that he had built a “side door” into USC, Yale, Stanford and other highly sought after schools. To convince admission committees that the students they were ushering in through the door were talented athletes, Singer, Heinel and the coaches taking bribes brazenly claimed the students were award-winning members of championship teams or earned other accolades that could have easily been detected with a simple internet search.
Top-tier private schools are under intense pressure to secure their graduates coveted spots at top universities, both to appease parents who’ve been paying five-figure tuition and to bolster the school’s profile, Ashton said.That gives counselors little incentive to go looking for signs of a scam like the one Singer was running.
And though officials at several of the universities Singer exploited have responded to the scandal by saying they were victimized by a mastermind bent on smuggling kids past their defenses, experts said there are not many defenses to begin with. They have “the potential to provide real oversight,” Eckstein said. “My guess is they just haven’t been checking whether every pole vaulter has actually held a pole.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rick Singer promised wealthy teens elite colleges, even if they didn’t have the gradesWilliam “Rick” Singer promised to help high school students get into elite colleges that seemed unattainable given their grades and test scores.
Read more »
This dad got pitched by college admissions fraudster Rick Singer — but said no to the scamA man who spoke with admitted college admissions fraudster William 'Rick' Singer in 2011 says Singer floated the idea of having the man's son pose as a water polo player to ease his acceptance by a California university. The man declined.
Read more »
The Latest: Guilty plea in college admissions schemeBOSTON (AP) — The Latest on a college admissions bribery scandal that has led to charges against coaches and celebrities (all times local): 3:20 p.m. The founder of an admissions...
Read more »
From ‘master coach’ to a bribery probe: A college consultant who went off the railsFrom ‘master coach’ to a college bribery probe: A consultant who went off the rails
Read more »
TV actresses among 50 people charged in college exam cheating plotThe FBI uncovered a network of wealthy parents who paid between $200,000 and $6,500,000 to William Rick Singer to boost their children's chances of gaining entrance into elite colleges, authorities say. (1/9)
Read more »
Rick Gates defense team, prosecutors aren't ready for sentencingIn a joint status report, Special Counsel Mueller's office and attorneys for Rick Gates say Gates continues to cooperate in 'several ongoing investigations' and that they 'do not believe it is appropriate to commence the sentencing process at this time.”
Read more »
What You Need To Know About Rick Caruso, Billionaire Chair Of USC’s Board Of TrusteesLori Loughlin’s daughter was aboard a yacht belonging to USC's board of trustees chair Rick Caruso when news broke that the actress was one of more than 50 people charged in a college admission scheme by samsharf
Read more »
Mueller: Former Trump campaign official Rick Gates 'continues to cooperate' in investigations
Read more »
What You Need To Know About Rick Caruso, Billionaire Chair Of USC’s Board Of TrusteesIn twist that seems pulled from a movie script, the daughter of actress Lori Loughlin was aboard Caruso's 215-foot yacht when news broke that the actress was one of more than 50 people charged in a college admission scheme.
Read more »
What You Need To Know About Rick Caruso, Billionaire Chair Of USC’s Board Of TrusteesIn a twist that seems pulled from a movie script, Lori Loughlin's daughter was aboard Caruso's 215-foot yacht when news broke that the actress was one of more than 50 people charged in a college admissions scheme.
Read more »
Phil Mickelson denounces college bribery scandal, says he worked with Rick Singer's companyMickelson expressed his disappointment in Singer and his company, which guided the PGA Tour star’s family through the college admission process.
Read more »