Mystery Parent Paid $6.5 Million to Get Kids Into Elite School Amid College Admissions Scandal
As names and large sums of money have been made public from the unsealed federal court records in the headline-making college admissions scam, one question has yet to be answered: Who paid $6.5 million to get their kids into an elite school?
Records unsealed in Boston this month accuse 50 people — including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman — of taking part in what is being called “the largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the department of justice,” according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
As the situation continues to unfold, prosecutors have said someone paid $6.5 million in bribes to get their child into elite schools — but both the individual’s name and the schools involved remain a mystery. The massive amount has been mentioned only in a press conference, and does not appear in the court documents.
“The name was not divulged,” Liz McCarthy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston, tells PEOPLE. “We did not tie the amount to anyone by name.”
“These parents are a catalogue of wealth and privilege... Singer’s clients paid him anywhere from $100,000 to $6.5 million... per student.”
This is what real affirmation action looks like. And these 33 busted bribes are just one sting. Aunt Becky happens everywhere. pic.twitter.com/LpD1WipGa0— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) March 12, 2019
Boston U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling identified admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer, 58, as the mastermind behind the massive scam.
“All of them knowingly conspired with singer and others to help their children either cheat on the SAT or ACT and-or buy their children’s admission to elite schools through fraud,” Lelling said of the accused. “Singer’s clients paid him anywhere between $100,000 and $6.5 million for this service.”
Lelling said that those indicted paid a total of $25 million in the scam, with most paying up to $400,000 per student. However, it is unclear whether the person who paid $6.5 million has been charged.
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From doctoring photos to writing large checks, the criminal complaint reveals the lengths to which parents went to get their children into universities including University of Southern California, Yale, Georgetown, and Stanford. Still, one person has managed to remain a mystery as at least a dozen people accused prepare to appear in court on Monday, according to USA Today.
Each defendant faces both racketeering conspiracy charges and racketeering forfeiture allegations and the hearing marks the largest fathering of defendants in the same court, USA Today reported. Those headed to court on Monday include former University of Southern California employees as well as coaches from Wake Forest University, Georgetown and the University of California-Los Angeles.
Authorities said Singer led the operation, employed test-taker Mark Riddell and helped facilitatethe test deception for Felicity Huffman‘s daughter, Sofia Grace, 18.
[Singer] offered a variety of cheating options as part of a widespread conspiracy to enrich himself while also facilitating cheating on SAT and ACT exams, recruiting applicants on the competitive athletic teams in exchange for bribes and concealing the nature and source of those bribes,” Lelling said during the news conference.
Singer has pleaded guilty to charges including racketeer conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice, Lelling said.
