Former media CEO admits bribing children’s way to top U.S. colleges

Mrs Kimmel, 57, admitted paying $525,000 to facilitate her children’s admission into university.

Oyindamola Olubajo • August 17, 2021

Elisabeth Kimmel

Former media executive, Elisabeth Kimmel, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, after paying bribes to get her children into top colleges, federal prosecutors in Boston, United States said.

Mrs Kimmel, 57, admitted paying $525,000 to facilitate her children’s admission into Georgetown University and the University of Southern California respectively.

A statement released on Monday by the U.S. attorney’s office said the former media company CEO used slots reserved for recruited athletes to facilitate the admission.

She was said to have worked together with William “Rick” Singer – a college admissions consultant and others to pay $275,000 to secure her daughter’s admission into Georgetown University as a tennis recruit.

The prosecutors also said that former Georgetown tennis coach Gordon Ernst reportedly allocated a tennis admission slot to Mrs Kimmel’s daughter.

She was also said to have agreed with Singer to pay another $250,000 to get her son admitted to the University of Southern California as a pole vault recruit.

Prosecutors said neither of the children was a tennis player nor a pole vaulter.

According to the statement, Mrs Kimmel is the 32nd parent to plead guilty in the case and while Mr Singer previously pleaded guilty, Mr Ernst has pleaded not guilty.

“Under the terms of Kimmel’s plea agreement, the parties have agreed to a sentence of six weeks in prison and two years of supervised release, with the first year spent in home confinement. Should the Court accept the plea, Kimmel will also be required to pay a $250,000 fine and perform 500 hours of community service,” it said.

It concluded that “the charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.”

U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2021.

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