Since my last update, there have been six more parents sentenced to prison for their participation in the college admission fraud.
In my research, found out the Department of Justice has a recap of defendants, charges, status, and sentencing information at their web site, Investigations of College Admissions and Testing Bribery Scheme.
The newest felons, all of whom will get to enjoy free, short-term federal housing:
#21 & #22 – Lori Laughlin and Mossimo Giannulli – Ms. Laughlin earned 2 months in prison, $150,000 fine, 2 years supervised release, and 100 hours community service. Mr. Giannulli earned 5 months prison time, $250,000 fine, 2 years supervised release, and 250 hours community service. They paid the organizer of the scam $500,000 to structure a scheme to present their two daughters as experienced rowing athletes even though neither of the children had any experience in the sport. The couple had loudly declared their innocence until entering a guilty plea back in May. Both of them were ordered to report to prison in November.
5/21/20 – CBS News – Lori Loughlin, husband Mossimo Giannulli agree to plead guilty in college admissions scam – Looks like every news outlet in the country hsa their own report on this story. I guess they all took the first few reports that appeared and rewrote them.
Lori Loughlin, who is the face of the college admissions fraud scheme, agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of conspiracy. Her husband will plead to two felony counts.
They are number 23 and 24 in line of parents who have pleaded guilty.
For her, feds will ask for two months in federal prison, $150,000 fine, 100 hours community service, and two years supervised release. For him, feds will ask for five months in jail, $250K fine, 250 hours community service, and two years supervised release.
There appear to be two categories for the range of sentencing. First, for people who merely cheated on testing. Second, for people who faked being athletes.
Ms. Loughlin and Mr. Giannulli sure do seem to be in the second category, since they and their daughters presented as accomplished athletes in sports in which they had never competed.
Looks like they got a really sweet deal. Others are getting 6 to 9 months.
#20 – 7/29/20- Manuel Henriquez – Six months in prison, $200,000 fine, 200 hours community service, and 2 years supervised release. He and his wife, who earned seven months in prison and a $200K fine, paid to have someone take tests for their two daughters on five occasions and fake one daughter as a tennis player to get her into Georgetown. He was ordered to jail in February 2021 which will be one month after his wife gets out of prison.
#19 – 7/15/20- Karen Littlefair – Five weeks in prison, $209,000 fine, 300 house community service. Also two years supervised release.. She paid $9,000 to have someone take four on-line classes for her son, who had been placed on academic probation at Georgetown. When her son only received a fake “C’ for one of the classes, she asked for a discount on the fee, but was declined. The short sentence of five weeks is consistent with the group of people who only paid for tests. I’ll guess the fine of $209,000 is symbolically based on $200K plus the amount she paid of $9K. As collateral punishment, her son resigned from his position with the Treasury Department and his degree from Georgetown was revoked. I’ll not mention his name, but you can find it if you wish. I’ll guess you can find it with a few moments of research anytime you become curious in the next several decades.
#18 – 7/15/20 – David Sidoo – Ninety days in prison, $250,000 fine, one year of supervised release. No community service. He paid $200,000 to have someone take the SAT for his two sons. As addition indication of the collateral consequences of felony convictions, his career is shredded, he probably won’t work again in his industry of venture capitalism, he has los his awards for athletic acheivements and charitable work, and had his name stripped from an athletic field. He was ordered to report to prison on 9/23/20.
#17 – 5/19/20 – Xiaoning Sui – Time served, which is about five months and $250,000 fine. No community service or supervised release. My recollection is she had to be extradited from Spain and was held in custody pending disposition of her case. She paid $400,000 to have her son admitted to UCLA as a soccer player even though the son did not play.