College Admissions Scandal

The punishment for Rick Singer, 62, is the longest sentence handed down in the sprawling college admissions scandal. More

January 4, 2023

Rick Singer blamed his “winning at all costs” attitude, which he said was caused in part by suppressed childhood trauma, in a letter. More

December 29, 2022

Fencing coach Peter Brand was fired from Harvard in July 2019 for violating its conflict-of-interest policy. More

December 22, 2022

Federal judge orders new trial for former USC water polo coach Jovan Vavic, who was convicted in the college admissions bribery scandal. More

September 16, 2022

Robert Repella, a former pharmaceutical executive, agreed to pay then-Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst at least $120,000 to have his daughter designated as a tennis recruit. More

August 11, 2022

Former Georgetown University tennis coach Gordon Ernst, who once coached former President Barack Obama's family, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for pocketing more than $3 million in bribes in exchange for helping wealthy parents cheat their kids' way into the school. More

July 1, 2022

Massachusetts business executive John Wilson, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison in the college admissions cheating scandal, appealed his conviction. More

April 25, 2022

Former Florida prep school administrator Mark Riddell, who was paid to take college entrance exams for wealthy students seeking admission to elite universities, faces sentencing in Boston federal court. More

April 8, 2022

BOSTON (AP) — A former Staples Inc. executive convicted of trying to bribe his three children’s way into elite universities was sentenced to serve 15 months in federal prison on Wednesday, the longest sentence so far handed down in the sprawling college admissions bribery scandal. More

February 16, 2022

A former casino executive who was one of just two parents to go to trial in the sprawling college admissions bribery scandal was sentenced Wednesday to serve one year and one day in federal prison, the stiffest sentence so far handed down in the case, federal prosecutors said. More

February 9, 2022

Two wealthy parents were convicted of buying their kids' way into school as athletic recruits in the first case to go to trial in the college admissions cheating scandal. More

October 8, 2021

Prosecutor says wealthy parents who are the first to stand trial in the college admissions bribery scandal used lies and money to steal coveted spots at prestigious schools. More

October 6, 2021

First trial "Operation Varsity Blues" college admissions bribery scandal shed light investigators' tactics brighten spotlight school selection process many complain rigged to favor the rich. More

September 8, 2021

BOSTON (AP) — Fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli’s request to serve the remaining three months of his prison term in the college admissions bribery scheme at home was denied Tuesday by a federal judge. Giannulli argued he should be released to home confinement for the rest of his five-month sentence because he spent eight weeks under […] More

January 26, 2021

Fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli asked to serve the remainder of his five-month prison term at home after spending eight weeks in solitary. More

January 15, 2021

'Full House' actress Lori Loughlin was released from prison after serving two months for paying bribes to get her daughters into college. More

December 29, 2020

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli reported to prison on Thursday to begin serving his five-month sentence for bribing his daughters’ way into college, officials said. Giannulli’s wife, “Full House” actor Lori Loughlin, is already behind bars for her role in the college admissions bribery scheme involving […] More

November 19, 2020

BOSTON (AP) — A California couple got prison time Tuesday for paying $250,000 to get their daughter into the University of Southern California as a volleyball recruit — the latest sentencing in the college admissions bribery scheme that’s roiled the worlds of higher education, sports and entertainment. Diane Blake was sentenced to six weeks behind […] More

November 17, 2020

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Authorities say “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin has reported to a federal prison in California to begin serving her two-month sentence for her role in the college admissions bribery scandal.   The U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston said Friday that Loughlin was being […] More

October 30, 2020

By COLLIN BINKLEY AP Education Writer BOSTON (AP) — A former tech executive was sentenced Monday to one year of home confinement for paying $300,000 to bribe his son’s way into Georgetown University as a tennis recruit, even though the son did not play tennis. Peter Dameris, of Pacific Palisades, California, appeared before a Boston […] More

October 6, 2020

BOSTON (AP) — A former employee of the mastermind of the college admissions bribery scheme pleaded guilty Thursday for her role in the scam. Mikaela Sanford, 34, of Folsom, California, pleaded guilty before a Boston federal court judge to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering. The hearing was held via videoconference because of the […] More

October 2, 2020

'Full House' star Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, apologized publicly at their sentencing. More

August 21, 2020

UPDATE: Friday afternoon, Lori Loughlin was sentenced to 2-months in a federal prison for her part in a college bribery scheme. Her husband Mossimo Giannulli was sentenced Friday morning. In addition to the prison time, Loughlin must pay a $150,000 fine. By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli was […] More

August 21, 2020

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles financier who tipped authorities to the college admissions cheating scheme was sentenced to prison Wednesday for trying to cheat stock investors out of $15 million. Morrie Tobin, 57, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison by a federal judge in Boston who acknowledged his “extraordinary” […] More

August 13, 2020

Actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty to their parts in a bribery scheme. More

May 22, 2020

“Full House” Actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, agreed to serve prison time as part of a plea deal in the college admissions bribery case, according to court papers filed Thursday. Loughlin has agreed to serve two months behind bars and Giannulli has agreed to serve five months under the deal […] More

May 21, 2020

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press The judge overseeing the case against actress Lori Loughlin, her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli and other parents charged with cheating the college admissions process called allegations of misconduct by investigators “serious and disturbing” on Friday. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton ordered prosecutors to respond to allegations that investigators bullied their […] More

April 20, 2020

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — A California woman was sentenced Tuesday to seven months in prison for paying bribes to rig her two daughters’ college admissions exams and get one of them into Georgetown University as a fake tennis recruit. In an unusual hearing held via videoconference due to the coronavirus […] More

April 1, 2020

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli urged a judge to dismiss charges against them in the college admissions bribery case. More

March 26, 2020

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — After winning guilty verdicts against top Enron executives in one of the most high-profile cases of corporate fraud, the lead prosecutor declared: “No matter how rich and powerful you are, you have to play by the rules.” More than a decade later, that same lawyer, Sean […] More

March 11, 2020