FBI: Wealthy Parents Bribing Colleges To Accept Their Kids

Jason P

The game is the game, yo. You either play or get played. 

brianlux

Jason P said:

The game is the game, yo. You either play or get played. 

True, but it's hard to play well and succeed when the game is rigged.  And the game is rigged.

tempo_n_groove

Rich people have been doing this forever so this shouldn't be a shock.

I would like to see more people get nailed for this though.

mace1229

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

tempo_n_groove

mace1229 said:

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

You can't let the parents buy their ways out of this.  Fines are good along with jail time.

F Me In The Brain

PureandEasy said:

F Me In The Brain said:

PureandEasy said:

I don't even know where to begin, this is such a disgrace.  I know many, many young adults who will spend years, decades even, paying off student loans for an education that has not garnered a decent job.  It breaks my heart to think of the young people who have missed out on scholarships, those who worked their entire lives, got good grades, studied hard and were passed up by wealthy people paying for their kids to get into a good school.  It says a lot about the parents too, it's all about image.  I knew nothing about Lori Laughlin's kids prior to this but now that this has come out, she's not only disgraced the education system, she's made a fool of her daughters.  Half a million dollars.  My kids are so pathetic, I had to pay $500,000 just to get them into this school.  I'd really like to see their high school report cards.  Fucking sad.

I could be wrong but I don't think these rich buy-ins took the spots from scholarship/grant kids.  I think they took the spots from kids who would have paid full tuition and worked their asses off to be the best-of-the-best and to get in.

I do feel badly for Lori.  First...I went to USC, it is the fucking shit.  Who wouldn't want their kids to go there!!  (Just kidding, it was a school.)

In all seriousness, she is being held up as the symbol of this corruption bs because she was on a lame fucking TV show.  What about all of the other people who were the same, awful, craps? 

You know what, you are probably right, didn't take scholarship slots, no what they did was take slots that had limited acceptance numbers, people who excelled in certain sports etc.  So her kid gets in because she supposedly excels in rowing.  Do you have any idea how hard rowing is?  So someone out there lost an opportunity because that family paid A HALF MILLION DOLLARS to get her accepted as an athlete that excels in rowing.  Some young individual who worked hard all their life, probably with the goal in mind of attending such a prestigious university, loses out.  Think about it, what all these wealthy people did was change the life course of other young individuals who worked hard and had hopes and dreams.  I welcome the lawsuits.  Sorry for the rant, but I'm so sick of this shit.  

Yes, I can understand....no need to apologize!

mace1229

tempo_n_groove said:

mace1229 said:

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

You can't let the parents buy their ways out of this.  Fines are good along with jail time.

Sure, some jail time. Maybe a year or two tops.  But I've heard some reports that parents can face a decade or more in prison. That just doesn't seem to fit the crime.

Smellyman

mace1229 said:

tempo_n_groove said:

mace1229 said:

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

You can't let the parents buy their ways out of this.  Fines are good along with jail time.

Sure, some jail time. Maybe a year or two tops.  But I've heard some reports that parents can face a decade or more in prison. That just doesn't seem to fit the crime.

Seems really weird to me too.  Been going on forever and is 0 surprise.

Yet it's just fine to have politicians bought and paid for.  Crazy.

tempo_n_groove

mace1229 said:

tempo_n_groove said:

mace1229 said:

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

You can't let the parents buy their ways out of this.  Fines are good along with jail time.

Sure, some jail time. Maybe a year or two tops.  But I've heard some reports that parents can face a decade or more in prison. That just doesn't seem to fit the crime.

I'm ok with white collar crime getting severe jail time.  

Not sure if I'm in the majority though?

mace1229

Since when did cheating on the SAT even become an FBI case?
I'm not saying the parents did nothing wrong, just that it seems like this is headed out to be the case to set an example for all future college scandals. There are probably dozens of offenses that I would consider worse where it is common for someone to only get 3-5 years.

OnWis97

The funny thing is that there are so many legal ways that the rich can get a leg up that resorting to this is just kinda sad.  Bribing out in the open by donating a building is something we just kinda shrug and accept...not to mention paid tutors, test prep, etc.  

https://twitter.com/alexisthenedd/status/1105485762697547776

Maybe it's OK for the child of a billionaire to go to the University of Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, or Colorado State. Is there something about "rich person culture"  that brings shame to the family of the kid that does not go to an elite university?

mace1229

OnWis97 said:

The funny thing is that there are so many legal ways that the rich can get a leg up that resorting to this is just kinda sad.  Bribing out in the open by donating a building is something we just kinda shrug and accept...not to mention paid tutors, test prep, etc.  

https://twitter.com/alexisthenedd/status/1105485762697547776

Maybe it's OK for the child of a billionaire to go to the University of Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, or Colorado State. Is there something about "rich person culture"  that brings shame to the family of the kid that does not go to an elite university?

The ironic thing is, if I was a billionaire (or even just a poor mega-millionaire) I wouldn't be worried about my kids' financial future. Now they risk it by cheating their way through.

OnWis97

mace1229 said:

OnWis97 said:

The funny thing is that there are so many legal ways that the rich can get a leg up that resorting to this is just kinda sad.  Bribing out in the open by donating a building is something we just kinda shrug and accept...not to mention paid tutors, test prep, etc.  

https://twitter.com/alexisthenedd/status/1105485762697547776

Maybe it's OK for the child of a billionaire to go to the University of Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton, or Colorado State. Is there something about "rich person culture"  that brings shame to the family of the kid that does not go to an elite university?

The ironic thing is, if I was a billionaire (or even just a poor mega-millionaire) I wouldn't be worried about my kids' financial future. Now they risk it by cheating their way through.

It kinda goes to show that we are going to be stressed relative to our own situations.  The very survival of these kids is never going to be an issue. The wealth and ability to enjoy the finer things?  Nope.  So they manufacture worries, like "what will everyone think if my kid doesn't get into a school at least as good as USC."  I didn't go to that good of a school and nobody cares.

PJ_Soul

tempo_n_groove said:

mace1229 said:

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

You can't let the parents buy their ways out of this.  Fines are good along with jail time.

Agree 100%. They absolutely need jail time if there is any chance for this type of thing to stop or at least be reduced.

PJ_Soul

mace1229 said:

Since when did cheating on the SAT even become an FBI case?
I'm not saying the parents did nothing wrong, just that it seems like this is headed out to be the case to set an example for all future college scandals. There are probably dozens of offenses that I would consider worse where it is common for someone to only get 3-5 years.

Well it's a multi-state and international fraud conspiracy involving a great deal of money and people. 

TBH, I find it odd that you are defensive about this whole thing... Are you perhaps not fully informed about the story?

PJ_Soul

tempo_n_groove said:

mace1229 said:

tempo_n_groove said:

mace1229 said:

I have not heard one person who sounded surprised over this.
I also don't get the coverage and potential punishment for the crime. I've heard several news sources say some parents can face up to something like 10 or 20 years for cheating on a test. Honestly, that just seems ridiculous to me.
I think they should be punished, all kids currently in school as a result of any scam should be kicked out, but years in prison over this? People commit murder and get sentenced to 4 or 5 years all the time, how are we saying this is worse than murder? Kick the kids out of school, fine the parents equal to 20 times what the bribe was and call it done.

You can't let the parents buy their ways out of this.  Fines are good along with jail time.

Sure, some jail time. Maybe a year or two tops.  But I've heard some reports that parents can face a decade or more in prison. That just doesn't seem to fit the crime.

I'm ok with white collar crime getting severe jail time.  

Not sure if I'm in the majority though?

I feel the same, although only think reallh lengthy sentences should be for those deemed some kind of danger or risk (physically, financially, socially, or whatever)... and that actually may be the casenwoth some of these people (not all), as I think some people with a ton of money and proven willing to do a thing like this is very likely to further harm society in similar ways in the future.

mace1229

PJ_Soul said:

mace1229 said:

Since when did cheating on the SAT even become an FBI case?
I'm not saying the parents did nothing wrong, just that it seems like this is headed out to be the case to set an example for all future college scandals. There are probably dozens of offenses that I would consider worse where it is common for someone to only get 3-5 years.

Well it's a multi-state and international fraud conspiracy involving a great deal of money and people. 

TBH, I find it odd that you are defensive about this whole thing... Are you perhaps not fully informed about the story?

I'm not defensive about the whole thing, I just think the potential I've heard many say is ridiculous. Give them a hefty fine and put them away for a year or two like Martha Stewart, that's fine. But I've heard reports that parents can face 10-20 years in prison, that is what I think is ridiculous. You can murder someone and get 5 years, but 20 for cheating on a test? It is more of a complaint about the lack of consistency in our judicial system than anything else. 
I guess in my mind any criminal act where you put actual lives of innocent people in danger is more severe than this and I just can't fathom the discrepancy in punishment for the two. Drunk driving can get you just a fine, if you kill someone drunk driving you can sometimes only serves months. A cop in our local community lost her 4 year old son and another is brain damaged for life because of some street racers who only served 1 about 1 year. But if you cheat on a college test lets lock you up for a decade. See the difference? That's what bothers me. 

PJ_Soul

You know that the maximum possible sentence isn't what most rich people get, right?

But also, check this out. No one has to worry - poor people will still always get the worst of it!

https://educationpost.org/while-rich-people-bribe-their-kids-way-into-college-parents-of-color-sit-in-jail-for-wanting-better-schools/

Anyway, I am not actually a believer in comparisons like the ones you're making. It is a bad idea to look at disgustingly light sentences for bad crimes, and then saying crimes not as bad should garner relative punishments. All attention should be on the fact that bad crimes were not adequately punished, not that lesser crimes should be inadequately punished because of that. You should just be advocating for drunk drivers causing harm to get way heavier sentences, not for these rich pieces of shit to get lighter sentences.

mace1229

PJ_Soul said:

You know that the maximum possible sentence isn't what most rich people get, right?

But also, check this out. No one has to worry - poor people will still always get the worst of it!

https://educationpost.org/while-rich-people-bribe-their-kids-way-into-college-parents-of-color-sit-in-jail-for-wanting-better-schools/

Anyway, I am not actually a believer in comparisons like the ones you're making. It is a bad idea to look at disgustingly light sentences for bad crimes, and then saying crimes not as bad should garner relative punishments. All attention should be on the fact that bad crimes were not adequately punished, not that lesser crimes should be inadequately punished because of that. You should just be advocating for drunk drivers causing harm to get way heavier sentences, not for these rich pieces of shit to get lighter sentences.

Yes, I actually doubt anyone would serve more than a year or two over this (aside from the head guy that was involved in most of the cases).  There just seems to be a lot of outrage and people supporting huge sentences over this, and I disagree. I think a hefty fine and a year or two is more than fitting. Just my opinion based on the fact this is a non-violent and no one could possibly be harmed in this action.

PJ_Soul

mace1229 said:

PJ_Soul said:

You know that the maximum possible sentence isn't what most rich people get, right?

But also, check this out. No one has to worry - poor people will still always get the worst of it!

https://educationpost.org/while-rich-people-bribe-their-kids-way-into-college-parents-of-color-sit-in-jail-for-wanting-better-schools/

Anyway, I am not actually a believer in comparisons like the ones you're making. It is a bad idea to look at disgustingly light sentences for bad crimes, and then saying crimes not as bad should garner relative punishments. All attention should be on the fact that bad crimes were not adequately punished, not that lesser crimes should be inadequately punished because of that. You should just be advocating for drunk drivers causing harm to get way heavier sentences, not for these rich pieces of shit to get lighter sentences.

Yes, I actually doubt anyone would serve more than a year or two over this (aside from the head guy that was involved in most of the cases).  There just seems to be a lot of outrage and people supporting huge sentences over this, and I disagree. I think a hefty fine and a year or two is more than fitting. Just my opinion based on the fact this is a non-violent and no one could possibly be harmed in this action.

What do you mean no one could be harmed???? What about all the deserving young people who got fucked? For every person who got enrolled via this kind of fraud, there is another person who should have had that spot because they worked for it.

Also, Madoff was non-violent too. I guess he only deserved a couple years?

I can't believe you are so cavalier when it comes to white collar crime. No wonder these assholes all think they can get away with it, if your attitude reflects many others.