Mark Riddell, 39 who helped the rich parents buy their children’s way to universities, was also sentenced to two years of supervised release after prison offer. He was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and submit $239,449. in confiscation, according to Caroline Ferguson, press secretary for US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
Before sentencing, former USC water polo coach Jovan Vavić was found guilty of conspiracy and fraud for extortion and taking bribes to facilitate admission of pupils in scam.
Riddell, standardized test-taking a scientist, paid either ace SAT and ACT in students’ place, or correct student responses before they are submitted in, prosecutors said.
CNN reached out Riddell’s lawyer for comment.
Authorities arrested and charged Riddell, dozens of parents, college coaches and administrators in an extensive 2019 investigation known as “Operation Collegiate Blues”.
Prosecutors said Riddell was tied up with William “Rick” Singer, former college admissions coach who organized the scam.
Riddell was key player in test fraud, prosecutors said.
Riddell was paid $10,000 for test, prosecutors said.
“He was just very smart guy.” — Andrew Lelling, U.S. Attorney for district of Massachusetts, said in March 2019 news conference. “He didn’t have any side information about the correct answers. He was just smart enough to achieve near-perfect score on exam or for calibration score.”
‘One of the biggest scandals in in history of academy
US Attorney for Massachusetts Rachel Rollins told her office “grateful” for verdict in Vavich case, part of what she called “maybe one of the biggest scandals in in history of academy”.
“To say that behavior in this case was reprehensible is putting it mildly,” Rollins said at a press conference. “Rich, powerful and famous, dripping with privileges and rights, used them money and influence to steal college places from more qualified and worthy students.
Vavich took bribes from Singer.
On Friday, Stephen Larson, an attorney representing Vavik, said they were “disappointed.” with jury decision find Vavich guilty of all of accusations against his.
“We are disappointed with but respectfully of jury decision” Larson said.
Majority people charged in Operation University Blues investigation pleads guilty
CNN’s Laura Lee, Travis Nichols, Braden Walker, Mark Morales, and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.
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