(1) Why did it happen?

The U.S. largest college admission cheating scam is all out of the greed of the rich and powerful.  These arrogant, unscrupulous, wealthy people work together for their own gains.  Their obnoxious behaviors are far beyond ordinary people could ever imagine.

(2) How was the scandal uncovered?

When FBI agents were working on an unrelated case, they uncovered the college admission cheating scam.  They also found that fake test scores were submitted to Boston College, Boston University, and Northeastern University, but none of the schools were indicted.

(3) How many people are charged?

Over 50 people were charged in the largest college admission scam ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice, said by the U.S. federal official last week.  They include nine coaches at elite schools, two SAT and ACT exam administrators, one exam proctor, a college administrator, and many wealthy parents.  Many of those entitled parents are of successful private and public companies, some even are Hollywood stars.

(4) Which U.S. company directed the scam?

William Singer, owner of a college counseling service called Key Worldwide Foundation and a company called Edge College & Career Network.  Mr. Singer pleaded guilty in a federal court on four charges: racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice.  

(5) How the admissions scheme executed?

Mr. Singer helped students cheat on SAT and ACT, either standardized test is required by most elite colleges for admission.

After students’ parents paid Mr. Singer bribes for the SAT or ACT test, Riddell, 36, would take the tests on students’ behalf, and then got paid $10,000 for each test.

The indictment indicates
“Singer would allegedly instruct parents to seek extended time for the children to take entrance exams or obtain medical documentation that their child had a learning disability. The parents were then told to get the location of the test changed to one of two testing centers, one in Houston and another in West Hollywood, California, where test administrators Niki Williams, 44, of Houston and Igor Dvorskiy, 52, of Sherman Oaks, California, helped carry out the scam.”

(Note: SAT and ACT offer a range of accommodations that allow disabled students flexibility in the test’s timing, presentation, response format, or setting.)

Furthermore, the college admission scandal also involved $25 million in bribes to college sports coaches so Mr. Signer’s students could enter elite colleges without any athletic talents.

Bribes disguised as charitable contributions – this is the main reason why the scam kept going for such a long time.  Students’ parent donated money, the amount ranging from tens of thousands to 6.5 million, to Singer’s Key Worldwide Foundation once the requested job was completed.

(6) Elite colleges involved in the scam

Yale
Stanford
University of Southern California(USC)
University of California, Los Angeles
Georgetown University
University of Texas, Austin
Wake Forest University
University of San Diego

(7) Actions taken by schools involved

1. USC president Wanda Austin vowed to take appropriate action and had terminated the two coaches involved in the scam.
2. Wake Forest University has placed the coach who was in the scandal on administrative leave.
3. UCLA men’s soccer coach resigned in wake of bribery allegations.

Related video:
BUSTED: Largest College Admissions Scam Includes Hollywood Actresses and Coaches