A former Georgetown University tennis coach was sentenced Friday to more than two years in prison, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Massachusetts. Gordon Ernst, was found guilty last Friday of accepting bribes to help prospective students gain admission to the school.
Varsity Blues is the act of bribery from wealthy parents in order to gain their child admission to elite colleges. The sentencing of the coach has been the harshest punishment issued so far in the federal investigation.
“Mr. Ernst was one of the most prolific participants in cheating the college admissions system,” the U.S. attorney, Rachael S. Rollins said in a statement. “He put nearly $3.5 million in bribes directly into his pocket and sold close to two dozen slots at Georgetown to the highest bidder.”
Mr. Ernst pleaded guilty last fall to charges including conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and filing a false tax return, according to court documents.
The infamous former tennis coach was actually first arrested in March 2019, along with dozens of other coaches, parents and testing center officials. Mr. Ernst pleaded guilty to taking bribes to appoint at least 12 students as recruits for the Georgetown tennis team between 2012 and 2018. Some of those students did not play tennis competitively, according to court documents.
The Department of Justice also states that Mr. Ernst failed to disclose all of the income from those bribe payments on his federal income tax returns. His sentencing was also one of the last pieces of the Varsity Blues scandal, which renewed concerns about a college admissions process that frequently favors wealthy applicants.
Mr. Ernst worked alongside William Singer, who went by Rick and a private college counselor. Prosecutors claimed Rick was the scheme’s mastermind. Rick would offer wealthy families a “side door” into the nation’s top universities, frequently employing athletic recruiters like Mr. Ernst to conceal a college applicant’s qualifications.
Varsity Blues is the act of bribery from wealthy parents in order to gain their child admission to elite colleges. The sentencing of the coach has been the harshest punishment issued so far in the federal investigation.
“Mr. Ernst was one of the most prolific participants in cheating the college admissions system,” the U.S. attorney, Rachael S. Rollins said in a statement. “He put nearly $3.5 million in bribes directly into his pocket and sold close to two dozen slots at Georgetown to the highest bidder.”
Mr. Ernst pleaded guilty last fall to charges including conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and filing a false tax return, according to court documents.
The infamous former tennis coach was actually first arrested in March 2019, along with dozens of other coaches, parents and testing center officials. Mr. Ernst pleaded guilty to taking bribes to appoint at least 12 students as recruits for the Georgetown tennis team between 2012 and 2018. Some of those students did not play tennis competitively, according to court documents.
The Department of Justice also states that Mr. Ernst failed to disclose all of the income from those bribe payments on his federal income tax returns. His sentencing was also one of the last pieces of the Varsity Blues scandal, which renewed concerns about a college admissions process that frequently favors wealthy applicants.
Mr. Ernst worked alongside William Singer, who went by Rick and a private college counselor. Prosecutors claimed Rick was the scheme’s mastermind. Rick would offer wealthy families a “side door” into the nation’s top universities, frequently employing athletic recruiters like Mr. Ernst to conceal a college applicant’s qualifications.
