College counselor at center of admissions scandal looking for lighter sentence

Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The attorney for Rick Singer, the college counselor at the center of the infamous admissions scandal that was uncovered in 2019, is looking for a much lighter sentence for her client than what the prosecutors recommend.

Candice Fields, Singer's attorney, asked for no more than six months in prison, if he is sentenced to prison at all. Federal prosecutors, however, are recommending six years in prison.

Singer, as part of his business Edge College & Career Network LLC, coordinated a widespread scheme to get prospective students admitted to prominent colleges between 2011 and 2019. The conspiracy included teachers, coaches and notable celebrities including Felicity Huffman and Lori Laughlin.

The scheme included falsifying credentials to pass admissions in exchange for a total of $25 million paid to Singer.

The preferred sentence sought by Singer's attorney is three years of probation with 12 months of home detention.

"If incarceration is deemed necessary, a six-month sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release that includes community service, will satisfy the purposes of sentencing," Fields wrote in a filing to the court.

Singer was integral to federal investigators securing dozens of convictions against multiple co-conspirators. The prosecution still seeks restitution from Singer to the Internal Revenue Service amounting to more than $10 million. The prosecution is also seeking for Singer to forfeit about $3 million in cash and assets.

In July, the Daily Mail published a story catching up with Singer about three years after the story of the scheme broke. Singer had sold his five-bedroom mansion and moved into a trailer.

Singer is charged with racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and obstruction of justice.