Mastermind in college admissions scam recently enrolled in doctorate program: court records
Nelson Oliveira
William “Rick” Singer, the admitted mastermind behind a notorious college admissions bribery scheme, decided to pursue his own academic degree as he awaits sentencing on multiple federal charges, court records show.
The 59-year-old college consultant was enrolled in an online doctorate program at Arizona’s Grand Canyon University, according to a July 16 motion filed by his attorneys. Just days later, however, the California resident apparently dropped out of the program, the Arizona Republic reported.
Singer — who was arrested in March 2019 along with dozens of wealthy parents, athletic coaches and college administrators — is cooperating with the still-ongoing investigation after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
His nearly decade-long scheme ensnared actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman and many other rich parents who were desperate to get their kids into elite universities across the country. Prosecutors said Singer helped those families through a variety of “side doors,” including falsifying ACT or SAT results and bribing college coaches to pretend incoming students had been top athletes.
The convicted ringleader would have faced up to 65 years behind bars if he hadn’t struck a deal with prosecutors, who are seeking a sentence in the “low end” of federal guidelines. His sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
Singer, who completed five classes in his psychology program at Grand Canyon University, had sought permission to travel to the Phoenix-based school to attend a required residency meeting, court documents show.
A federal judge in Boston, where the case is being prosecuted, granted his request, but it was not immediately clear why he left the university days later.
In this April 3, 2019, photo, actress Lori Loughlin, front, and her husband, clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli, left, depart federal court in Boston after a hearing in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. A federal judge on Friday, May 8, 2020, refused to dismiss charges against the couple and other prominent parents accused of cheating in the college admissions process, siding with prosecutors who denied that investigators had fabricated evidence.
In new photos released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts on April 10, 2020, Olivia Jade Giannulli is seen with her face blurred posing on an indoor rowing machine. Giannulli and her sister Isabella were accused of faking athletic careers as rowers to get into the University of Southern California in 2019. Their parents Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli have pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges including bribery and fraud during the admissions scandal.
Isabella Giannulli is also seen with her face blurred posing on an indoor rowing machine in new photos released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts on April 10, 2020.
Agustin Huneeus, the founder of Quintessa winery in Northern California, center, arrives at federal court in Boston, on May 21, 2019, to plead guilty to charges in the nationwide college admissions bribery scandal dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. Huneeus was sentenced on Oct. 4, 2019, to five months behind bars, the longest sentence meted out to date.
Gordon Caplan speaks to the media outside federal court on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, in Boston, after being sentenced in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. Caplan, 53, was sentenced to a month in prison and ordered to serve 250 hours of community service and pay a fine of $50,000. When he first agreed to plead guilty in the case he said, "I take full and sole responsibility for my conduct and I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and my actions."
Felicity Huffman leaves federal court with her husband William H. Macy, left, and her brother Moore Huffman Jr. rear center, after she was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, in Boston, in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. A federal judge sentenced Huffman to 14 days in prison, 250 hours of community service, a $30,000 fine and one year of probation. Huffman pleaded guilty in May to paying a proctor $15,000 to correct answers on her daughter Sophia's SAT test in 2017.
Actress Felicity Huffman, escorted by her husband William H. Macy, makes her way to the entrance of the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse on Sept. 13, 2019, in Boston, before her sentencing for her role in the College Admissions scandal.
Actress Lori Loughlin (R) and husband Mossimo Giannulli exit the Boston Federal Courthouse after a pre-trial hearing with Magistrate Judge Kelley at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston on Aug. 27, 2019. Loughlin and Giannulli are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the college admissions scandal.
Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli are back in court today to settle a dispute over their choice of lawyers. The Judge ruled Loughlin and Giannulli can stick with their law firm on Aug. 27, 2019.
Steve Masera, a former accountant and financial officer for William "Rick" Singer's Edge College & Career Network, leaves Boston Federal Court following his arraignment on March 25, 2019, in Boston, Mass. Federal attorneys in Boston announced on May 30, 2019, Masera, 69, will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering. U.S. attorneys will recommend a low-end sentence of 57 to71 months, a year of supervised release and as yet determined restitution, instead of the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Some 50 people have been charged including parents, college sports personnel and facilitators of the scam.
Marcia Abbott, left, and Gregory Abbott leave federal court on May 22, 2019, in Boston, where they pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Agustin Huneeus, center, arrives at federal court on May 21, 2019, in Boston, where he is scheduled to plead guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Gordon Caplan, center, arrives at federal court on May 21, 2019, in Boston, where he is scheduled to plead guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Former University of Southern California soccer coach Laura Janke departs federal court on May 14, 2019, in Boston, where she pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Felicity Huffman, center, gets into a vehicle followed by her brother Moore Huffman Jr., outside federal court on May 13, 2019, in Boston, where she pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Felicity Huffman arrives at federal court on Monday, May 13, 2019, in Boston, where she is scheduled to plead guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. Huffman is one of 24 people set to plead guilty in the case.
Actress Felicity Huffman arrives with her brother Moore Huffman Jr. at federal court on Monday, May 13, 2019, in Boston, where she is scheduled to plead guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Mark Riddell arrives at federal court on April 12, 2019, in Boston, where he was scheduled to plead guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. A total of 50 people have been charged, including 33 parents, 10 coaches and college athletics officials, and seven others.
"Full House" star Lori Loughlin arrives at federal court in Boston on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, to face charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Actress Felicity Huffman enters the court to appear before Judge M. Page Kelley to face charges for allegedly conspiring to commit mail fraud and others in the college admissions scandal at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts on April 3, 2019.
Two people hold cutout photos of actress Lori Loughlin outside federal court in Boston on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, where Loughlin is scheduled to face charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
In this March 29, 2019 file photo, Agustin Huneeus, a 53-year-old San Francisco resident whose family owns vineyards in California's Napa Valley and in Oregon, leaves the federal courthouse in Boston after a hearing associated with the college admissions bribery scandal. Huneeus is accused of paying at least $50,000 to have SAT administrators correct his daughter's college entrance exam and to have the University of Southern California officials designate her as a water polo recruit.
William McGlashan, 55, of Mill Valley, Calif., a senior executive at TPG private equity firm, arrives at the federal courthouse for a hearing associated with the college admissions bribery scandal, on Friday, March 29, 2019 in Boston. McGlashan is accused of paying bribes to get his son into USC as a recruit for the college's storied football team, even though his son’s high school didn't have a team.
Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, center, discusses a proposed package of bills dealing with the recent college admissions scandal, during a news conference on Thursday, March 28, 2019, in Sacramento. Ting, along with Democratic Assembly members Evan Low, left, of Campbell, Kevin McCarty, of Sacramento, second from left, and Tasha Boerner Horvath, of Oceanside, right, unveiled a half-dozen measures that would require that three college administrators sign off on special admissions and a ban upon preferential admissions for students related to the institution's donors of alumni.
Rudy Meredith, former Yale women's soccer coach, departs federal court in Boston on Thursday, March 28, 2019, where he pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Donna Heinel, former senior associate athletic director at the University of Southern California, leaves following her arraignment at Boston Federal Court on March 25, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. A dozen coaches, athletic directors and test proctors are being arraigned in relation to the college admissions scandal on Monday.
Jovan Vavic, former water polo coach at the University of Southern California, leaves following his arraignment at Boston Federal Court on March 25, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. A dozen coaches, athletic directors and test proctors are being arraigned in relation to the college admissions scandal on Monday.
Gordon Ernst, former head coach of the men's and women's tennis teams at Georgetown University, leaves following his arraignment at Boston Federal Court on March 25, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts.
William Ferguson, center, former women's volleyball coach at Wake Forest University, leaves following his arraignment at Boston Federal Court on March 25, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Actress Felicity Huffman is seen inside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2019. "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman is among 50 people indicted in a nationwide university admissions scam, court records unsealed in Boston on March 12, 2019 showed. A federal judge set bond at $250,000 for Felicity Huffman after she was charged in a massive college admissions cheating scandal.
William "Rick" Singer, founder of the Edge College & Career Network, departs federal court in Boston on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, after he pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
John Vandemoer, former head sailing coach at Stanford, arrives at federal court on March 12, 2019, in Boston, to plead guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
CEO of Crown Realty Robert Flaxman, right, hides under a hoodie as he leaves the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on March 12, 2019, after he and several others attended initial hearings following their arrests today in connection with an alleged $25 million nationwide bribery scheme to get students into elite universities in Los Angeles.
One of his attorneys had described him as a dedicated student who was getting good grades.
“Mr. Singer has maintained a B average for his first four classes and has received an A in his fifth class,” attorney Donald Heller wrote in the motion.
