• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Actresses, prominent business owners charged in nationwide college admissions cheating scandal

tres borrachos said:
I watched this story unfold last night and it's quite a story. It was also Morning Joe's lead story today.

My eldest son is in a Division 1 hockey college right now. We paid money for him to do a PG year at a hockey prep school to ensure him being selected on an athletic scholarship (but he also had to have academic credentials). He's played hockey since he was about 5 years old, and sacrificed much to excel at it. It really upsets me to hear about the Yale soccer coach who took millions of dollars in bribes to let the children of the rich and famous get into Yale as "soccer athletes" as a scam. There were other legitimate, hardworking students that same year that would have done anything for the privilege of playing on that team, and they were passed over because of something like this. It's disgusting.
Click to expand...

What makes me scratch my head is how they could ever hope to fake it.

I competed in judo and crew at University (not on any scholarship) and if someone had tried to get in through this whole bribery thing, they would have immediately stood out like a sore thumb.

Esp in sports like tennis, where there's simply no way to fake being good at it.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
It appears that it took many (8?) years of (federal?) investigation to catch this batch (of 33?).
Click to expand...

I don't think that's correct. I've read the fraud was uncovered in May 2018 when an informant on something else tipped them off. They busted the lead guy, and then he's spent the past 9 months or so implicating some old clients and co-conspirators.
 
JasperL said:
I don't think that's correct. I've read the fraud was uncovered in May 2018 when an informant on something else tipped them off. They busted the lead guy, and then he's spent the past 9 months or so implicating some old clients and co-conspirators.
Click to expand...

Even worse if these criminal acts were simply discovered by accident.
 
"Turns Out There's a Proper Way to Buy Your Kid a College Slot" from the NY Times, which says that this case is not a defense of meritocracy but, rather, a defense of private property, i.e. the right of colleges to make the admissions decisions and then collect the revenues:

Federal prosecutors presented themselves as champions of meritocracy on Tuesday as they announced the indictments....

If the allegations are true, people should be held to account. But this case is not a defense of meritocracy in college admissions. What the government actually is defending is private property — the right of the colleges to make their own decisions about admissions, and collect the payments.

…Indeed, Mr. Lelling [United States attorney for the District of Massachusett] himself made clear at a news conference on Tuesday that the government is well aware wealthy people regularly donate money to colleges to secure the matriculation of their children — and the government is not attacking the conduct of that business as usual.

...The key distinction here is not just the amount of money, but the recipient. A donation is made to a college, while a bribe is paid to an employee who, in effect, is stealing an admissions slot, hawking it and pocketing the proceeds. (To comply with tax laws, donors also cannot engage in an explicit quid pro quo with a college. The well-rehearsed pas de deux of donations and admissions must be made to appear as a voluntary exchange of gifts, not a binding deal.)

Opinion | Turns Out There’s a Proper Way to Buy Your Kid a College Slot - The New York Times
 
Tanngrisnir said:
What makes me scratch my head is how they could ever hope to fake it.

I competed in judo and crew at University (not on any scholarship) and if someone had tried to get in through this whole bribery thing, they would have immediately stood out like a sore thumb.

Esp in sports like tennis, where there's simply no way to fake being good at it.
Click to expand...

Crew is much easier to fake than tennis or soccer. But even then you have to have at least some experience with it.

Apparently with the Yale soccer scandal part of it, the students who benefitted from Mom & Dad bribing the coach simply showed up for a few practices and were deemed "unworthy" of playing on the team. That happens all the time so it wouldn't set off any red flags.

It's disgusting and as the parent of a legitimate athlete, I'm livid about this story. What if my kid was not accepted into the school he now plays for because some rich parent bought his kid's entrance to the team because the kid played pick up hockey for 5 years?
 
American said:
I thought liberals were all about fairness. I guess it only applies unless cheating benefits them.
Click to expand...

Fairness….one of Socialism's big lies.

Beside, they're always wanting to stick it to the rich.
 
Last edited:
JasperL said:
I don't think that's correct. I've read the fraud was uncovered in May 2018 when an informant on something else tipped them off. They busted the lead guy, and then he's spent the past 9 months or so implicating some old clients and co-conspirators.
Click to expand...

You are correct. He wore a wire and also sent emails to the parents exposing their participation in the scheme. It took time for the Fed to collect enough evidence to go after the parents and the schools/coaches involved.
 
tres borrachos said:
Crew is much easier to fake than tennis or soccer. But even then you have to have at least some experience with it.

Apparently with the Yale soccer scandal part of it, the students who benefitted from Mom & Dad bribing the coach simply showed up for a few practices and were deemed "unworthy" of playing on the team. That happens all the time so it wouldn't set off any red flags.

It's disgusting and as the parent of a legitimate athlete, I'm livid about this story. What if my kid was not accepted into the school he now plays for because some rich parent bought his kid's entrance to the team because the kid played pick up hockey for 5 years?
Click to expand...

Yes, it would be easier, but if these kids were touted as champs (even shot posing over Concept2 ergometers!), when they couldn't use an oar to save their lives, someone would likely notice.

Good point about the coach simply not playing them, though. Hadn't considered that.
 
tres borrachos said:
It took 16 posts to make this about liberals? FFS American. There is no political angle to this story. Unbelievable post from you.
Click to expand...

Since Hollywood is about 1000% liberal, I find it relevant to mention that they are hypocrites.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Even worse if these criminal acts were simply discovered by accident.
Click to expand...

I at least give credit to the feds for following up on it. And they didn't just bust the ringleader but spent months implicating all the other big players - or at least as many dumb enough to provide the wiretap evidence as they could, and many of the parents. So I can't find fault with the investigators here.
 
JasperL said:
I at least give credit to the feds for following up on it. And they didn't just bust the ringleader but spent months implicating all the other big players - or at least as many dumb enough to provide the wiretap evidence as they could, and many of the parents. So I can't find fault with the investigators here.
Click to expand...

Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional acorn.
 
tres borrachos said:
Yup. Two actresses named. One is a Republican. But this is all about Libruls, you know.

So much for Lori's faith, huh?
Click to expand...

There is not necessarily a contradiction between any religious faith and seeking advantage for one's children.
 
tres borrachos said:
Yup. Two actresses named. One is a Republican. But this is all about Libruls, you know.

So much for Lori's faith, huh?
Click to expand...
To be honest, I'm just surprised Lori's got 15K to throw around. I figured the Full House money had dried up a long time ago, and Netflix can be stingy with some C-listers.


Anyways, yeah, American trying to make this about liberals vs. Conservatives is ****ing laughable when we know literally 2 names, and there are another 48 that haven't been publicized.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.
 
Jack Hays said:
There is not necessarily a contradiction between any religious faith and seeking advantage for one's children.
Click to expand...

Seeking advantage for your children is something most people do. Seeking it through lies and bribery and fraud probably isn't God's preferred method.
 
Jack Hays said:
There is not necessarily a contradiction between any religious faith and seeking advantage for one's children.
Click to expand...

I'm sure she had faith that she could buy off people.
 
Hatuey said:
To be honest, I'm just surprised Lori's got 15K to throw around. I figured the Full House money had dried up a long time ago, and Netflix can be stingy with some C-listers.


Anyways, yeah, American trying to make this about liberals vs. Conservatives is ****ing laughable when we know literally 2 names, and there are another 48 that haven't been publicized.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.
Click to expand...

Just for background, she has a long-running franchise on Hallmark, Garage Sale Mysteries. I suspect that will go away now.
 
Hatuey said:
To be honest, I'm just surprised Lori's got 15K to throw around. I figured the Full House money had dried up a long time ago, and Netflix can be stingy with some C-listers.


Anyways, yeah, American trying to make this about liberals vs. Conservatives is ****ing laughable when we know literally 2 names, and there are another 48 that haven't been publicized.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.
Click to expand...

I've already seen a list of where some of these people have donated. Some were to Dems. Some to GOP. This went across the spectrum. But, um, Libruls.
 
Hatuey said:
To be honest, I'm just surprised Lori's got 15K to throw around. I figured the Full House money had dried up a long time ago, and Netflix can be stingy with some C-listers.


Anyways, yeah, American trying to make this about liberals vs. Conservatives is ****ing laughable when we know literally 2 names, and there are another 48 that haven't been publicized.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.
Click to expand...

I believe she's married into the Mossimo family of the Mossimo clothing line. At least that's what I heard on the radio this morning.

 
tres borrachos said:
I watched this story unfold last night and it's quite a story. It was also Morning Joe's lead story today.

My eldest son is in a Division 1 hockey college right now. We paid money for him to do a PG year at a hockey prep school to ensure him being selected on an athletic scholarship (but he also had to have academic credentials). He's played hockey since he was about 5 years old, and sacrificed much to excel at it. It really upsets me to hear about the Yale soccer coach who took millions of dollars in bribes to let the children of the rich and famous get into Yale as "soccer athletes" as a scam. There were other legitimate, hardworking students that same year that would have done anything for the privilege of playing on that team, and they were passed over because of something like this. It's disgusting.
Click to expand...

For the last century and a half - at least - the rich have been depositing their spawn into elite universities courtesy of their own status and cash, Those entitled children then spend the rest of their lives living off the largesse and connections of their parents and family and pretend to the rest of us that it somehow makes them superior.

Screw em.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom