A former administrator for the University of Southern California agreed on Friday to plead guilty to participating in a college scheme in which federal prosecutors said she received over $1.3 million.
Donna Heinel entered the plea in Boston federal court on Friday morning, less than two weeks before she was scheduled to go to trial, according to The New York Times.
Prosecutors accuse Heinel of helping get the daughter of Gamal Abdelaziz, a former casino owner, admitted to USC as a basketball recruit and received $20,000 a month for her assistance.
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Abdelaziz became one of dozens of people found guilty in connection to the scheme last month.
“Defendant faces the following maximum penalties on Count 11 of the Second Superseding Indictment: incarceration for 20 years; supervised release for three years; a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater; a mandatory special assessment of $100; restitution; and forfeiture to the extent charged in the Second Superseding Indictment,” court documents read.
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USC says it began cooperating with the Boston U.S. Attorney’s Office in late 2018, and the office announced indictments related to the national admissions scandal known as Operation Varsity Blues in March 2019. USC fired Heinel and water polo head coach Jovan Vavic on March 12, 2019, the same day their indictments were announced.
Prosecutors say college admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer masterminded the entire scheme. Singer pleaded guilty in exchange for his cooperation with investigators.
