USA TODAY International Edition
Loughlin, others face new charges in admissions scam
BOSTON — Federal prosecutors on Tuesday brought new charges against 11 parents and seven others who continue to maintain their innocence in the nation’s college admissions scandal, raising the bar for potentially longer prison sentences if they are convicted.
Among the parents hit with a new bribery charge is actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, who are accused of paying $ 500,000 to get their two daughters falsely classified as crew recruits to get them admitted into the University of Southern California.
The moves come after four parents charged in the admissions scheme pleaded guilty in Boston federal court Monday, choosing to admit guilt rather than face an additional federal bribery charge that prosecutors threatened they would bring.
In addition, prosecutors brought new fraud conspiracy charges against seven others, including four former colleges coaches, who have pleaded not guilty to racketeering charges in the admissions scheme. Three of these defendants have also been charged with conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.
Charges are outlined in superseding indictments that a federal grand jury returned in federal court in Boston. For the parents, it adds to the fraud and money laundering charges that they already face for paying Rick Singer, the mastermind of the admissions scam.
The new charges do not allege new misconduct. Prosecutors are looking to ramp up pressure against the remaining 23 parents, coaches and other defendants, who have not admitted guilt and are preparing for trial in the “Varsity Blues” scam.
“Today’s charges are the result of ongoing investigation in the nationwide college admissions case,” U. S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a statement. “Our goal from the beginning has been to hold the defendants fully accountable for corrupting the college admissions process through cheating, bribery and fraud.”
The federal programs bribery statute involves theft or bribery from entities that receive at least $ 10,000 in federal funding. Prosecutors argue that the 11 parents conspired to commit federal program bribery by bribing employees of USC to facilitate entry as fake athletic recruits.
Other parents facing the new charge are Gamal Abdelaziz, Diane Blake, Todd Blake, Elisabeth Kimmell, William McGlashan Jr., Marci Palatella, John Wilson, Homayoun Zadeh, and Robert Zangrillo. William Trach, Loughlin’s attorney, did not respond to a request seeking comment.
The government also brought additional charges of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud against four parents: Joey Chen, as well as McGlashan Jr., Wilson and Zangrillo.
Martin Weinberg, Zangrillo’s attorney called the new bribery charge an “unprecedented attempt to criminalize a donation made to a University by a parent.”
Fifty- two defendants are charged with crimes in the admissions case, first announced in March. That includes 35 parents accused of paying Singer significant bribes to either facilitate cheating on their children’s college entrance exams or to tag their children as recruits to get them into school. Twenty- nine defendants, including 19 parents, have since pleaded guilty.
The four parents who pleaded guilty Monday — Douglas Hodge, Michelle Janavs and Manuel and Elizabeth Henriquez — told a judge that they were promised no new additional charges would come their way in exchange for their plea.
If convicted of federal programs bribery, parents could be subject to lengthier prison terms based on federal guidelines that judges considering during sentencing. The crime carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Fraud and money laundering each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison.