College admission scammer Rick Singer gets 42-month sentence
College admissions bribery mastermind Rick Singer was sentenced to 42 months behind bars, followed by three-years supervision. Singer must report to prison by Feb. 27, news station WCVB in Boston reports.
Federal prosecutors wanted a six-year prison term for the 62-year-old facilitator, who was sentenced in a Massachusetts court Wednesday.
For over a decade, Singer helpedwell-to-do parents get their often-underperforming children into prestigious universities by fabricating those students’ academic and extracurricular accomplishments.
Singer participated with authorities after being implicated in the Operation Varsity Blues sting, which led to the conviction of several prominent parents involved in the elaborate scam. He pleaded guilty to charges including racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy when the case became public in 2019.
Prosecutors said Singer collected $25 million from clients — $7 million of which he used to bribe people in the world of academia. He is accused of pocketing more than $15 million.
Singer, whom prosecutors never called to testify, remained free over the past four years, during which time he stayed largely silent. He spoke Wednesday during his sentencing in a Boston, Mass., federal court.
“My moral compass was warped by the lessons my father taught me about competition,” Singer said. “I embraced his belief that embellishing or even lying to win was acceptable as long as there was victory. I should have known better.”
His lawyers asked for probation and a maximum of six-months should the judge sentence Singer to prison time.
Among the dozens of parents ensnared in the scandal were “Full House” actor Lori Loughlin and “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman.
Loughlin, along with her fashion designer husband Mossimo Gianulli, confessed to giving Singer $50,000 to get their daughters into the University of Southern California. The 58-year-old actor was sentenced to two months in prison, plus a six-figure fine and 100 hours community service. Gianulli got a five-month sentence. Huffman served 11 days in a California corrections center along with 250 hours of community service. The 60-year-old Bedford, NY native — who’s married to Academy Award nominated “Fargo” star William H. Macy — was fined $30,000
Singer worked with investigators including FBI agents to record more than 100 conversations with those involved in his scheme.
With News Wire Services
