Feds uncover admissions test cheating plot

[damon30]

What about the high schools these kids attended? Wouldn’t they know something was up?

@basil1 Yes, see my affidavit quote in post #59. Here is a longer version below.

326. On or about April 1, 2018, a guidance counselor at SLOANE’s son’s high school e-mailed SLOANE and his son for an update on what schools had accepted SLOANE’s son. SLOANE forwarded the request to CW-1 with the note: “What do you think we should do? Either we can list all the non-USC acceptances and not include USC or include everything or do nothing?” CW-1 responded as follows:

They know about USC. One of the counselors questioned [your son] getting in as Water Polo player this week. My folks at USC called me so we could restate [your son] playing in Italy as [his high school] does not have a team.

SLOANE replied, “Any concerns?” Three minutes later SLOANE responded again, as follows:

The more I think about this, it is outrageous! They have no business or legal right considering all the students privacy issues to be calling and challenging/question [my son’s]’s application.

1. On or about April 11, 2018, Heinel e-mailed the USC Director of Admissions as follows:

Wanted to complete the loop. [SLOANE’s son] doesn’t play on the men’s water polo team at [his high school] because they do not sponsor water polo at his school. He plays at LA Water Polo Club during the year and travels international during the summer with the youth junior team in Italy. I don’t know if the people at [his high school] are unaware of his participation. He participates in tournaments in Greece, Serbia (how he met Jovan [Vavic]) and Portugal. I believe the parents do have money since he is enrolled in [his high school] plus is able to travel so extensively during the summer. He is small but he has a long torso but short strong legs plus he is fast which helps him win the draws to start play after goals are scored. He is an attack perimeter player. Thanks for bring to my attention.

The information in Heinel’s e-mail was fabricated. The USC Director of Admissions replied as follows:

Thanks, for this. If you don’t mind, I’ll pass an edited/paraphrased version of your note along to the school, to assure them we’re looking at this stuff. They seemed unusually skeptical. …

The HS GC comes off well and the USC adcom comes off rather poorly.