Former tennis coach Gordon Ernst, head tennis coach of Georgetown University, pleaded guilty to accepting money to help rich students get into the school and also filing a false tax return, was sentenced on Friday to around 2 years in prison, which so far is the longest and worst punishment so far known in Operation Varsity Blues, where they have focused on seeing on how parents with money often bribe elite colleges so that their children are admitted into these schools.
Mr. Ernst was one of the most prominent people who participated in helping cheat the college admissions system. He received around $3.5 million from bribes, and sold around 24 slots at Georgetown to the highest bidder.
Mr. Ernest was first arrested in March 2019, with around 4 dozen other coaches, some parents and a few testing center officials for involvement in cheating the college system admissions. Over 50 people have been found participating in this scandal. Mr. Ernest pleaded guilty about how he accepted 12 students as recruits for Georgetown’s tennis team. Some of these students also never played tennis competitively.
He also didn’t report the income of the bribe payments on his federal income returns, furthering his sentence. His sentencing in the Varsity Blues scandal, has made renewed concerns about how college admissions systems prefer richer applicants has popped up again. A co-worker of Mr. Ernest; Willian Singer, who was called Rick, used to be a private college counselor, who let wealthy families a shortcut to get into top universities, and also using athletic recruiters like Mr. Ernest to ignore a college student’s qualifications. Mr. Singer so far is one of the few people who also hasn’t gotten his sentence, with his hearing scheduled for September.
Mr. Ernst was one of the most prominent people who participated in helping cheat the college admissions system. He received around $3.5 million from bribes, and sold around 24 slots at Georgetown to the highest bidder.
Mr. Ernest was first arrested in March 2019, with around 4 dozen other coaches, some parents and a few testing center officials for involvement in cheating the college system admissions. Over 50 people have been found participating in this scandal. Mr. Ernest pleaded guilty about how he accepted 12 students as recruits for Georgetown’s tennis team. Some of these students also never played tennis competitively.
He also didn’t report the income of the bribe payments on his federal income returns, furthering his sentence. His sentencing in the Varsity Blues scandal, has made renewed concerns about how college admissions systems prefer richer applicants has popped up again. A co-worker of Mr. Ernest; Willian Singer, who was called Rick, used to be a private college counselor, who let wealthy families a shortcut to get into top universities, and also using athletic recruiters like Mr. Ernest to ignore a college student’s qualifications. Mr. Singer so far is one of the few people who also hasn’t gotten his sentence, with his hearing scheduled for September.
