Nothing can compare the love that a parent has to his child. Oftentimes, they are willing to do everything just to give them the best no matter how huge the price is.
Unfortunately, a recent incident showed how this love can also be risky. That was after a group of parents have crossed boundaries and committed fraud just so their children be accepted in one of the best schools in the US, as reported by Philly Prosecutors reveal that these parents were "catalog of wealth and privilege", which include Hollywood actresses, CEOs of great companies, a co-chairman of a global law firm, and a fashion designer.
"This case is about the widening corruption of elite college admissions through the steady application of wealth combined with fraud," states Andrew Lelling. Lelling is the present US attorney for Massachusetts.
The investigation revealed that the parents were guilty of doing either two things. First, others paid someone from a college organization to alter the answers of their children or take the exam on their behalf. Second, some of them paid college coaches a huge amount of money to help their children be admitted to college as recruited athletes. To back up their lies, they even made fake athletic profiles for them. Agents revealed that at most $6.5 million were paid by the parents just to guarantee their children's admission.
Under the criminal investigation, which was named Operation Varsity Blues, 50 people were charged with fraud. Lelling revealed that these people include one exam proctor, nine coaches, two SAT/ACT administrators, 33 parents, and one college administrator, as reported by CNN.
Lelling assures people of a fair judgment. "There can be no separate college admission system for the wealthy, and I'll add that there will not be a separate criminal justice system either," he explained.
Two of the most well-known personalities that are included in the case were the Academy Award nominee Felicity Huffman and the actress who played Aunt Becky on Full House Lori Loughlin. Huffman and Loughlin will be charged with felony conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
The investigation revealed how Huffman paid about $15,000 to a person who she asked to facilitate cheating. Loughlin, on the other hand, paid $500,000 for her two daughters to be accepted in the school.
There is still no exact information about the incident showcasing the actresses' side. Both of them are still yet to comment about the issue.
Meanwhile, Lelling further announced that there are no students who were charged Tuesday as the case prioritized "the prime movers of this fraud" first. But he assures that they will still harvest what they have reaped "down the road".
