College admissions scandal: Donna Heinel, a former USC athletics official, pleads guilty to a fraud charge
Donna Heinel, who was USC’s senior affiliate athletic director, pleaded responsible to at least one rely of sincere providers wire fraud as a part of a plea settlement, prosecutors stated in a information launch Friday.
“She did the honorable factor and took accountability for her actions at the moment,” Nina Marino, Heinel’s legal professional, instructed CNN in a telephone interview.
Heinel is one in every of two USC athletic administrators alleged to have been concerned in a racketeering conspiracy to cheat potential college students’ admission into the college. She was fired in March 2019 over her alleged position within the scheme.
A minimum of 50 folks — together with Hollywood stars, prime CEOs, faculty coaches and standardized check directors — have been accused of participating within the scheme to cheat on checks and admit college students to main establishments as athletes, no matter their talents.
William Rick Singer, the plot’s accused mastermind, allegedly instructed potential purchasers that he created a “facet door” for rich households to get their kids into prime US faculties. Singer was paid roughly $25 million by dad and mom to assist their kids get into the faculties, the US legal professional stated.
Proof towards Heinel included an audio recording during which Singer may be heard saying, “Donna Heinel at USC to assist Audrey get in via crew.” One other recording factors to Singer highlighting Heinel’s capability to assist one other scholar get into USC.
Heinel’s identify was additionally talked about a number of instances in audio that was used as proof within the trials of two separate dad and mom, John Wilson and Gamal Abdelaziz, who paid Singer lots of of 1000’s of {dollars} to get their kids into prestigious universities together with USC, Stanford and Harvard, court docket data present.
The sincere providers wire fraud cost towards Heinel can carry a sentence of as much as 20 years in jail. She’s scheduled to seem in court docket for sentencing on March 11.
