Varsity Blues mastermind Rick Singer arrives at court to be sentenced for college bribes scandal

Rick Singer, the mastermind of the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, has arrived in court to be sentenced. 

Singer was the leader of the scam, which was exposed four years ago and indicted Hollywood stars including Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin. 

He immediately pleaded guilty to charges including obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit money laundering, offenses that can carry sentences of up to 20 years. 

Singer, who now lives modestly in a Florida trailer park, instead agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation into the wealthy parents who used his services. 

Rick Singer arrives at court in Boston on Wednesday January 4 for sentencing. Prosecutors are recommending six years in prison 

Singer, 61, had been facing 20 years in prison on a number of charges. He agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation 

Now, he faces six years in prison and fines totaling $20million. 

His attorneys have pleaded for mercy, asking the judge to give him a probation-only sentence. 

The scam involved Singer accepting bribes of up to $500,000 from desperate parents who wanted to get their kids into some of the country’s best schools. 

Through his contacts at universities like USC and in SAT test centers and boards, he got the kids in. 

Some, like Loughlin’s two daughters, pretended to be star athletes in sports they’d never even tried. Singer vouched for them in their applications. 

Others weren’t even aware of their parents’ involvement in their college admission – they would sit their SAT exam in locations where the test administer or proctor was on Singer’s payroll. Once they’d completed their answers, the proctor would change them to ensure they were correct.