Two Parents Are the First to Face Trial in College Admissions Scandal - 2 minutes read




Mr. Singer told investigators that although the daughter played basketball in high school, she was not good enough to be recruited. So, according to the documents, Mr. Abdelaziz helped Mr. Singer put together a basketball profile to submit to U.S.C. that included falsified honors.
With the help of Donna Heinel, U.S.C.’s former senior associate athletic director, Mr. Abdelaziz’s daughter was admitted in 2018 as a basketball recruit, the documents say. Mr. Abdelaziz subsequently sent $300,000 to a foundation controlled by Mr. Singer, according to the documents.
A few months later, the documents say, Mr. Singer began making payments of $20,000 a month to Dr. Heinel, in exchange for her assistance in recruiting Mr. Abdelaziz’s daughter and the children of Mr. Singer’s other clients.
Mr. Abdelaziz’s daughter never joined the U.S.C. basketball team. Dr. Heinel has pleaded not guilty to fraud and other charges and is scheduled to go to trial in November along with three other former athletic officials.
The prosecutors’ case against Mr. Wilson also involves athletics.
Mr. Wilson’s son played water polo, but not competitively enough, according to prosecutors. Mr. Singer wrote a false athletic profile, with Mr. Wilson’s knowledge. After the son was admitted, prosecutors say, Mr. Wilson paid Mr. Singer $220,000, of which Mr. Singer sent $100,000 to the U.S.C. water polo team, according to court documents. The son withdrew from the team after one semester.
Later, prosecutors say, Mr. Wilson agreed to pay $1.5 million to secure spots at Stanford and Harvard for his twin daughters. According to court documents, Mr. Singer, who by this time was cooperating with law enforcement agents, told Mr. Wilson the spot at Stanford would be through the sailing team, but the daughter didn’t have to actually sail; the spot at Harvard would be through a “senior women’s administrator” who would choose a sport for his daughter.

Source: New York Times

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