In March 2019, Andrew Lelling, the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, announced charges against dozens of parents and coaches involved in a scheme to cheat to get the children of those parents into selective colleges across the country.
The alleged methods include bribing officials and coaches at eight universities to help secure spots for the children as recruited athletes. Some parents and agents even went so far as to falsify athletic achievements to help make sure those applicants were granted admission.
Prosecutors say parents paid a total of $25 million to secure spots for their kids at top schools across the country, including Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, the University of Southern California and UCLA. Prosecutors dubbed the investigation "Operation Varsity Blues."
