> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • The Evolution of Race in Admissions
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
Admissions
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

Higher Ed’s Bribery Scandal Is Decadent and Depraved. Here Are 8 Truly Tasteless Allegations.

By  Jack Stripling
March 13, 2019

The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday revealed a sweeping bribery scheme that prosecutors say allowed wealthy parents to secure admission for their children into some of the nation’s most highly selective universities. In a 204-page affidavit, the FBI showed how William R. Singer, the alleged mastermind of the operation, helped applicants forge athletics credentials and cheat on entrance exams, often without their own knowledge.

For a scandal that involves two television stars, the Justice Department’s case reads at times like a Hollywood script. Here are a few of the most bizarre allegations, many of them drawn from wiretaps of the involved parties.

We’re sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network. Please make sure your computer, VPN, or network allows javascript and allows content to be delivered from c950.chronicle.com and chronicle.blueconic.net.

Once javascript and access to those URLs are allowed, please refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday revealed a sweeping bribery scheme that prosecutors say allowed wealthy parents to secure admission for their children into some of the nation’s most highly selective universities. In a 204-page affidavit, the FBI showed how William R. Singer, the alleged mastermind of the operation, helped applicants forge athletics credentials and cheat on entrance exams, often without their own knowledge.

For a scandal that involves two television stars, the Justice Department’s case reads at times like a Hollywood script. Here are a few of the most bizarre allegations, many of them drawn from wiretaps of the involved parties.

Amazon.fraud

To get his son into the University of Southern California, a father purchased water-polo gear from amazon.com and had a graphic designer superimpose the student’s image on a photo of an indoor pool. When Singer said that the boy was “a little high out of the water — no one gets that high,” the father sent a more realistic image.

$160K? In Your Dreams

Stanford is “not TJ Maxx,” the scheme’s mastermind scoffed.
Michael Rivera, via Wikimedia Commons
Stanford is “not TJ Maxx,” the scheme’s mastermind scoffed.

When a parent asked if donating $160,000 to Stanford University’s sailing program would guarantee his daughter a spot, Singer scoffed. “This is not TJ Maxx or Marshalls,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fake Punt

Through the magic of Photoshop, Singer passed off a student as a kicker/punter to help him get into USC and Stanford. The student’s high school didn’t even have a football team. But his father said, “He does have really strong legs.” Signing on to the ruse, the parent said, “The way the world works these days is unbelievable.”

‘Top Drawer’ Recruit

To secure a slot at USC, a student was falsely described in her application as “co-captain of a Japanese national soccer team.” In a fake athletics profile, she was called a “TOP DRAWER ESTIMATED # 3 RECRUTING CLASS IN NATION.” She attended USC, but never joined the soccer team.

Tell Her, ‘Be Stupid’

Singer promised a parent “any test scores you would like to get on the SAT or ACT” for $75,000. The elaborate scheme required that the student demonstrate a learning disability, so it was important that she “be stupid” when she met with a psychologist, Singer told a parent. Given extra time on the entrance exam for that reason, the student could take it at one of Singer’s centers, where a third party would do the work. “She won’t even know that it happened,” Singer explained. “It will happen as though — she will think that she’s really super smart.”

Collage of admissions-bribery scheme, March 2019, w/o caption
Admission Through the ‘Side Door’
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.
  • One Year After College-Admissions Scandal, 3 Questions About What (if Anything) Has Changed
  • 5 Questions to Consider in the Wake of the Admissions Scandal
  • The Bribery Scandal Revealed Holes in Admissions Oversight. Now Some Professors Want to Take Back That Role.

‘Desperate’ Panic

Felicity Huffman’s daughter secured 100-percent extended time for the SAT, which was critical to Singer’s scheme. But a problem cropped up when her daughter’s high-school counselor suggested that she take the test at her high school rather than at one of Singer’s centers. Explaining the situation to Singer in an email, Huffman, who is famous for her role on Desperate Housewives, wrote, “Ruh Ro! Looks like [my daughter’s high school] wants to provide own proctor.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Fine. Just Use Some Other Guy.

Laura Janke, a former assistant coach of women’s soccer at USC, created a fake athletic profile for a successful applicant. The profile, which falsely claimed he was an elite pole-vaulter, included a photo of someone pole-vaulting, but it wasn’t the applicant.

(Full) House of Cards

Mossimo Giannulli, a fashion designer and husband of Lori Loughlin, the actress known for her role on Full House, asked Singer if it was a bad idea to mention their daughter’s admission to USC to the athletics director at the time. Singer advised Giannulli to keep quiet, but quipped that the director “felt you were good for a million plus.” Giannulli responded: “HAH!”

Jack Stripling covers college leadership, particularly presidents and governing boards. Follow him on Twitter @jackstripling, or email him at jack.stripling@chronicle.com.

Read other items in this Admission Through the ‘Side Door’ package.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Admissions & EnrollmentInnovation & Transformation
Jack Stripling
Jack Stripling was a senior writer at The Chronicle, where he covered college leadership, particularly presidents and governing boards. Follow him on Twitter @jackstripling.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Blogs
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Blogs
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
  • The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
    The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
    Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin