When it comes to bribery, the involvement of federal authorities is a clear sign of the seriousness of the offense.  The recent case, where individuals paid extra money to secure college admissions for their children, is a stark example of this. This scandal, commonly known as the “college admissions bribery scandal,” falls under the umbrella of bribery, a federal crime with significant implications.

These actions, aimed at securing unfair advantages for their children,   significantly impact the public at large. This constitutes a scheme that is not only a federal crime in Los Angeles but also in any other city in the nation, due to its involvement in interstate commerce. The public, therefore, is a direct victim of such bribery schemes.

Federal Charges

This is not a matter to be taken lightly. The federal government is deeply involved in any scheme that involves individuals essentially bribing others to secure a spot for their child in a college ahead of others.  This is particularly significant as it affects colleges, which often receive aid from the federal government.  The severity of the federal charges in this college bribery scheme cannot be overstated.

Many people are unclear about when the federal government intervenes.  This is a perfect example of when the federal government should get involved — when you're messing with colleges and messing with our system.  We have one of the greatest governments in the world, as well as one of the finest college systems in the world.  So, obviously, if people are going to tamper with that, pay money, and try to get ahead of other people, then they're going to be severely punished for that.

Factors that Determine Federal Prison Time

The people who are charged in this college bribery scheme are looking at real federal prison time.  There are several factors involved in determining whether they actually receive any prison time.  In my opinion, one of the biggest factors is which judge they get.  Some of the judges, especially in Los Angeles County, the Central District, are very tough when it comes to crime, and they will make an example out of these individuals who are involved in the college bribery scheme.

We also need to know the details of their case to really get a good sense of what they're up against in defending their case.  In other words, is it a situation where they put $10,000 or $15,000 versus some of these other cases where it's half a million dollars, and what exactly did the person who got them into the colleges do?  Did they bribe a school official?

Did the people bribe the school officials directly?  What do they do about the tests?  Are they altering tests, or do they just help them get in?  Either way, it's a bribery scheme.  It's fraudulent.  It strikes at the very core of our educational system.

Those poor people who are trying to get into colleges and struggling and fighting and working, and then someone is able just to come in and pay money and skip ahead of them — is obviously extremely unfair, and the federal government is going to deal with these people in a very harsh manner.

It's essential to recognize that the federal government does not approach these matters lightly. This is not a situation where the accused can expect a mere slap on the wrist.  They are facing a federal felony and potential custody time at 85%.  This is a federal bribery scheme, and the feds take it very seriously.

Defenses for a Federal Bribery Scam Involving Colleges

One potential defense in this latest case, where several parents have been arrested in the Central District and charged with bribery-related federal offenses, is that the money was not intended for any illegal purpose.  The defense could argue that the money was simply given to help the child gain legitimate admission to the school.  This defense hinges on the belief or reasonable expectation that the money was for legitimate assistance, not for cutting corners or bypassing better-qualified candidates.

As long as the person believed or reasonably should have believed that the individual was going to help them get into the school legitimately, versus paying somebody money to let them cut corners or get over better-qualified candidates, then you possibly will have a defense in one of these college bribery-related cases. Still, you have to believe that whatever money you are giving was money for the person, and that person was going to help you get into the school legitimately.

So, obviously, when someone is paying $500,000 to make the argument that it's legitimate, it's idiotic. However, if somebody was paying $10,000 to $15,000 on the other hand for another person to help them get into a particular school, that might be legitimate.

There's nothing wrong with that, especially if that person had good SAT or ACT scores. College federal bribery would not be as much of a problem as it was versus a situation where someone actually knows if the person is either going to fix the test for the other person or is actually going to pay money to an admissions person at a college in order for them to skip over other better-qualified candidates for the particular college.  So, this circumstance would be federal bribery.

Contact our Law Firm for Help

However, there are potential defenses to this particular crime, and I'm sure the attorneys representing those accused in Central District of Los Angeles cases will utilize those defenses to the fullest extent. If you have one of these cases, please pick up the phone and call our criminal defense attorneys. We can discuss it immediately in private, protected by the attorney-client privilege.