Whether the kids knew or didn’t know, the prosecutors don’t need to indict them to make the case against the others, so why muddy it up?
Some kids would be under 18 when any acts they did took place - when they took the SAT, when they submitted their applications (electronically, so difficult to prove the student ‘signed’ and applied solo), when any money was paid (and it wasn’t their money). The apps were all being coordinated by the Key company, so the kids may never have seen the apps, what was missing, what was changed.
It’s just an easier case to leave the kids out. RICO is complicated enough without extra parties who would bring nothing to the case, and have no money to forfeit to the government.
I think the bigger question out of this is how to stop it going forward.
I am very familiar with water polo and given that USC water polo is involved does not surprise me but given the economics the incentive for this type of scheme will always exist.
Men’s water polo coaches on average make about $140,000 a year. The USC coach is one of the top 2 or 3 so he is likely commanding more but still not a huge salary in southern California. Compound this with the fact that water polo in general is under funded and the incentive is there.
From the indictment $250,000 was transferred into an account that supported USC water polo so these funds were not given to the coach but benefited the players, not good but less egregious than just pocketing the cash. The coach also had scholarships set up/given to his kids as payment so he is not completely selfless in this and has had $120,000 surrendered according to the indictment.
Think about the economics, a coach can make $350,000+ (double their salary) by giving up a slot or two. That is an incentive that is not going away without some pretty stiff changes/oversight.
With respect to how could no one know about these recruits because they would be publicized given their high school accomplishments. Speaking for water polo, it is entirely possible. My son was on the cusp of recruit-able (not to USC but still top tier division 1 programs) and to google him there is very little that comes up as water polo is not a sport that gets newspaper time in the midwest. He could easily have been a real recruit to USC, as a walk on since they only have 4 scholarships to give out to a roster of 20+ players, but would have needed a tip. He would have looked like a “fake athlete” on the surface because there is so little about him on the web but he very much put in the time and effort. The coaches would probably be the only people that would know his name, including current team members. To expect that admissions people should know who he is would be ridiculous. I can only imagine the same occurs in many minor sports and as such this is most likely the tip of the iceberg.
How could it be possible that those kids did not know what happened?? Who sent their applications?? My daughter sent all her applications (scores, AP tests, common app) by herself. She would have never permitted anyone to do that for her.
I don’t get it.
@scoutmom2002@Hope4414 the best thing society can do is make state flagship publics as affordable as possible. there are literally 5-10xS the number of kids who could attend the elite schools and succeed as there are seats. Public flagships train the vast majority of our kids both rich and poor. (see Malcolm Gladwell bashing Stanford vs UCs). Also, the Ivy league and many others should get rid of “holistic” and be transparent about scores needed for recruited athletes and seats given to donors. I think legacies don’t carry as much sway as they used to.
Acting is not a typical career. This is free PR for them. If they can avoid jail (which they probably will) they’ll be more popular than ever. They’ll get time on The View, Kelly and Ryan, and probably Jimmy Kimmel.
@3puppies “Earlier, the reference was made that the investigation of this was stumbled on as they were investigating something else. I wonder if the other investigation was the one about payoffs to college athletes or their families, from shoe companies, etc.”
my guess is they were following the hedge fund titan or the soccer coach depositing a 400,000$ check. Chances high that a hedge fund/private equity titan is being surveiled or a Bank wants to know how the soccer coach making 125K a year deposited 400K at once.
A lot of the parents were rich, but not famous–an oncologist, a professor of dentistry, several finance guys, co-chair of the firm Wilkie Farr & Gallagher. (The professor actually paid over time according to the affidavit.)
If you read the supporting affidavit, it seems at least a few of the kids really didn’t know. One father went to great lengths to make sure his son didn’t know. Another father who knew the dad is recorded complaining that the father won’t give him any info. The co-operating witness tells him that’s because the son didn’t know and the father was insistent that the kid not find out.
Another kid mentioned to his father on the phone just after he started college that his advisor had given him info re track practices and seemed to think he was a recruited athlete which the kid didn’t understand. He was asking dad for advice on what he should do to straighten it out.Dad called the company about this and demanded that they straighten it out so his kid wouldn’t know.
Another kid took a practice ACT thinking it was the real one while someone impersonating him took it across the country.
So, at least a few kids really didn’t know and I think these kids will be devastated.
Man at center of the scam pleads guilty and faces a maximum of 65 years in prison
From CNN’s Mark Morales
William Rick Singer, the man who owned and operated Edge College and Career Network LLC (“The Key”) at the center of the collegiate scheme, has pleaded guilty to four charges:
A maximum of 65 years in prison
Three years of supervised release
$1.25m dollar fine
$400 special assessment
He is appearing before Judge Rya Zobel in a Massachusetts federal court.
My daughter was a recruited athlete. I do not remember her including a photo on any application. She did submit film or links to film, but you couldn’t really tell it was her (except that I’ve watched her for years so know her style of running, of throwing, etc. and I can pick her out in a field of players).
When we walked up to meet the coach she ultimately played for, I could tell the coach was shocked at D’s appearance. The coach didn’t know she was Chinese, even after watching film.
A few years ago I was sitting in the office of a D3 coach chatting when the lacrosse coach walked in.
Lax: Hey coach, do you have the extension for Mary over in admissions?
Coach: Let me look, what’s up?
Lax: I just got off the phone with Johnny’s dad. He’s prepared to pay the full 4 years upfront so I need to speak with Mary.
Me: Looks like Johnny is getting his acceptance today.
Different scenario I know, but it didn’t bother me in the least bit, and honestly nor does this new “scandal”. Maybe I would feel different if I had a kid whose spot at USC was taken by someone less deserving, but I doubt it. It’s just not that important.
I simply can’t wrap my head around those who live and die by college admissions. There will always been plenty of people who get admission spots over those more qualified, just as there were always be plenty of people who get jobs over those more qualified, or roster spots over those more talented, or acting roles over those more talented, etc, etc.
Do I like it? No. Do I condone the behavior? No. Do I accept it as a reality and part of life? Yes. And having accepted these realities has made my life so much more enjoyable. I feel less stress, anxiety, anger, frustration, and so on.
I have my health, my family, my friends, a job, money and a roof over my head. I simply don’t care about actors bribing coaches.
It really isn’t easy to get extended time on standardized tests. So I’m not directing any annoyance at the need for extended time. I am annoyed that there are folks out there that get paid on the down-low to churn out fake letters and scores to help the well-to-do secure the additional time when it’s not justified. This story is not an indictment of the need for extended time, IMO. It’s the abuse.