College Admissions Bribe Scandal: Chinese Mother Sentenced for Cheating UCLA System

Royce Hall UCLA
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A wealthy Chinese national living in Canada was sentenced to her time served of approximately five months in prison and a $250,000 fine for paying a bribe to have her son admitted to UCLA. The woman worked with William “Rick” Singer,” who pled guilty to being the mastermind of the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scheme, to have her son admitted as a soccer recruit even though he had never played competitive soccer.

According to a report by NBC News, Chinese citizen Xiaoning Sui has served five months in prison for her role in the college admissions bribery scandal. Sui, a citizen of China, worked with Singer to have her son admitted to UCLA as a soccer recruit.

Breitbart News reported in February that Sui paid out a total of $400,000 to have her son admitted to UCLA. The payments went to both UCLA coaches and William “Rick” Singer, who collected a fee from dozens of parents for his facilitation of fraudulent college admissions.

Sui reportedly paid a UCLA soccer coach $100,000 to designate her son as a soccer recruit. Her son, who had never played competitive soccer, even received an athletic scholarship.

In a press release, the Department of Justice announced that Sui will also be required to forfeit the $400,000 that she paid to  Singer and university officials. Sui will also be required to pay a $250,000 fine.

Xiaoning Sui, 48, of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, was sentenced during a videoconference hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to time served (approximately five months in prison) and is ordered to pay a fine of $250,000. Sui has agreed to forfeit the $400,000 that she paid to facilitate the crime. In February 2020, Sui agreed to plead guilty to one count of federal programs bribery, and Judge Woodlock accepted that plea during her sentencing. Sui was arrested in Spain on Sept. 16, 2019, and detained until she was extradited to Boston for the plea hearing.

Full House actress Lori Loughlin pled guilty to several charges related to her participating in the college admissions bribery scandal this week. Loughlin will serve two months in prison. Her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, will serve five months.

“Under the plea agreements filed today, these defendants will serve prison terms reflecting their respective roles in a conspiracy to corrupt the college admissions process and which are consistent with prior sentences in this case,” said United States Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions.”

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