William “Rick” Singer, the man behind the largest college admissions fraud scheme in the United States, was sentenced to 42 months in prison on Wednesday. Singer’s plea to racketeering conspiracy four years ago helped uncover over 50 of his clients, including actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
Prosecutors sought six years in prison for Singer and for him to pay up $10.6 million in restitution, over alleged lapsed taxes. The judge ultimately decided on a lighter sentence of 42 months.
The sentence comes after the toughest punishment had already been handed down to former Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst, who was given 30 months in prison for his role in the scandal.
Singer maintained that through his involvement in the scheme, he had “lost everything” by “ignoring what was morally, ethically, and legally right in favor of winning what I perceived was the college admissions ‘game.'”
As the college admissions scandal continues to unfold, it has become clear that Singer’s sentencing is just one of many steps in restoring faith in the college admissions system. The U.S. Justice Department is now turning its attention to potential criminal charges against other parents involved in the scheme. These actions are intended to send a strong message to those looking to game the system.