A wide-ranging bribery scheme is unsettling higher education, raising uncomfortable questions about the role of wealth and privilege in the admissions process.
As detailed in U.S. Department of Justice filings, the scheme involved a company, known as “the Key,” that illegally manipulated two main “side doors” to secure the admission of its clients’ children to elite universities. The Key, run by William Rick Singer, bribed officials at college-entrance examination companies to allow third parties to take the students’ tests for them. And it bribed college coaches to identify the students as recruited athletes — guaranteeing them preferential treatment by the admissions office — even though they were not so recruited.
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A wide-ranging bribery scheme is unsettling higher education, raising uncomfortable questions about the role of wealth and privilege in the admissions process.
As detailed in U.S. Department of Justice filings, the scheme involved a company, known as “the Key,” that illegally manipulated two main “side doors” to secure the admission of its clients’ children to elite universities. The Key, run by William Rick Singer, bribed officials at college-entrance examination companies to allow third parties to take the students’ tests for them. And it bribed college coaches to identify the students as recruited athletes — guaranteeing them preferential treatment by the admissions office — even though they were not so recruited.
The court documents provide many examples of how the scheme worked, though there may have been more money and more students involved. Here’s a breakdown of what the documents tell us about the scandal:
U. of Southern California
Who Was Involved?
Ali Khosroshahin
Jovan Vavic
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Laura Janke
Donna Heinel, senior associate athletic director
Ali Khosroshahin, former head coach of the women’s soccer team
Laura Janke, a former assistant coach of the women’s soccer team
Jovan Vavic, head coach of the water-polo team
How Much Money?
$1.3 million paid to university accounts that Heinel controlled; plus $20,000 per month paid to Heinel starting last July
$350,000 paid to a private soccer club controlled by Khosroshahin and Janke
$250,000 paid to the water-polo team, plus private-school tuition payments for Vavic’s children
Dozens of people, including famous actors, college coaches, and a university administrator, have been charged by federal prosecutors for their alleged roles in an admissions-bribery scheme involving Yale, Stanford, and other elite institutions.
Heinel agreed to make sure an applicant was designated as a recruited athlete for the women’s crew team, even though the applicant had no experience in rowing. Janke created a fake athlete profile, describing her as a coxswain, and sent it to Heinel. The profile included a photo of a female rower that Janke found online. USC’s athletic admissions subcommittee gave the applicant conditional acceptance, as long as she met all eligibility requirements. Khosroshahin and Janke also created fake athlete profiles and facilitated transactions at other universities.
Yale U.
Who Was Involved?
Randolph (Rudy) Meredith, former head coach of the women’s soccer team (he was a cooperating witness; he agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest-services wire fraud, as well as honest-services wire fraud, in hopes of lessening his sentence)
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How Much Money?
$1.2 million paid by the parents to Singer, who then paid $400,000 to Meredith
How Many Students?
One.
Example
Meredith designated an applicant as a recruit for Yale’s soccer team, even though he knew that she didn’t play competitive soccer. Janke, the USC assistant coach, created a fake athlete profile for the applicant, describing her as a star midfielder, and pretended that she and Khosroshahin had coached the applicant. The profile was sent to Meredith. After the applicant was admitted to Yale, Meredith received a personal check for $400,000.
Georgetown U.
Who Was Involved?
Gordon Ernst, former head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis teams
How Much Money?
$2.7 million paid to Ernst, falsely described as consulting fees
How Many Students?
At least 12.
Example
Ernst had three admissions spots to use per year for recruited tennis players, and in 2015 he used all three for children of Singer’s clients. In one case, an applicant forwarded an email to Ernst describing his tennis abilities, even though he didn’t play tennis. Ernst forwarded that email to an admissions officer.
U. of California at Los Angeles
Who Was Involved?
Jorge Salcedo, head coach of the men’s soccer team
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How Much Money?
$250,000 worth of Facebook shares paid by the parents to Singer
$100,000 paid to Salcedo
$100,000 paid to a sports-marketing company that Salcedo controlled
$50,000 paid to Khosroshahin
How Many Students?
Two.
Example
Salcedo received a fake soccer profile for an applicant from Khosroshahin, the USC soccer coach. Salcedo then forwarded the applicant’s transcript and test scores to a women’s soccer coach. UCLA’s student-athlete admissions committee admitted her on a provisional basis, as long as she finished her senior year of high school and participated on the soccer team for at least one year.
Wake Forest U.
Who Was Involved?
William Ferguson, head coach of the women’s volleyball team
How Much Money?
$100,000 paid to Ferguson through the Wake Forest Deacon Club, the women’s volleyball team, and a private volleyball camp that Ferguson controlled
How Many Students?
One.
Example
Ferguson agreed to designate one applicant who had been wait-listed as a women’s volleyball recruit.
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Stanford U.
Who Was Involved?
John Vandemoer, head coach of the sailing team (he has already agreed to plead guilty to a charge of racketeering conspiracy)
How Much Money?
$270,000 paid to the Stanford sailing team (in one case, $500,000 was promised, but the student ultimately didn’t enroll; $160,000 was still paid as a deposit for another student’s future enrollment)
How Many Students?
Two.
Example
Vandemoer agreed to designate one applicant as a recruit for Stanford’s sailing team, even though he wasn’t a competitive sailor. Janke, the USC assistant coach, created a fake athlete profile for the applicant. The applicant deferred his Stanford application for one year, but the sailing program was paid $110,000 to guarantee that he would be considered a sailing recruit in the next year. The applicant eventually attended a different university.
U. of Texas at Austin
Who Was Involved?
Michael Center, a tennis coach
How Much Money?
$100,000 paid to the coach
$100,000 paid to Martin Fox, president of a private tennis academy and camp in Houston
How Many Students?
One.
Example
The coach designated an applicant as a recruited tennis player, even though the applicant didn’t play tennis. Fox assisted with the bribe.
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U. of San Diego
Who Was Involved?
An unnamed varsity sports coach
How Much Money?
$100,000 paid to Fox
$10,000 paid to the coach
How Many Students?
Two.
Example
The unnamed coach designated one applicant as a team manager to help her get admitted at San Diego. She ultimately decided not to attend the university, but the coach was still paid for his help. Fox assisted with the bribe.
Update (3/13/2019, 12:07 p.m.): This article has been updated to include the name of the tennis coach, Michael Center, at UT-Austin.
Sarah Brown writes about a range of higher-education topics, including sexual assault, race on campus, and Greek life. Follow her on Twitter @Brown_e_Points, or email her at sarah.brown@chronicle.com.
