Explained: The college admissions scandal roiling the United States

Being investigated by the Justice Department, the bribery-for-admissions scam engulfed some of the most prestigious American universities, including Stanford, Yale, and Georgetown among others.

What is being claimed to be the largest college admissions scandal in recent American history is unfolding in that country now, with many taken aback by the sheer scale and audacity of the crimes, as well as the list of high-profile parents who have been accused.

Being investigated by the Justice Department, the bribery-for-admissions scam engulfed some of the most prestigious American universities, including Stanford, Yale, and Georgetown among others.

Explained: The US bribery-for-admissions scandal

The principal accused, William Singer, who ostensibly owned a college consultancy service, ran a racket which guaranteed his clients admissions into elite schools, in exchange for hefty payments. The clients, who availed Signer’s services for their children, were completely aware of the criminal nature of the scheme.

The Justice Department categorized the racket into three parts: arranging a third party to take the SAT and ACT standardized tests in place of actual students, falsely designating college applicants as potential recruits for their athletic teams, and money laundering using charitable accounts.