Photo: Getty Images
A Silicon Valley couple was accused of paying $25,000 to cheat on their son's SAT test for college admissions are set to be sentenced on federal charges on Thursday, April 14. According to the Associated Press, Dr. Gregory Colburn, 63, and Amy Colburn, 52, of Palo Alto, pleaded guilty in January to money laundering and mail fraud conspiracy charges six weeks before they were to go on trial.
The couple is among about 60 wealthy parents, athletic coaches, and others charged in the case known as "Operation Varsity Blues." The widespread scheme led by Igor Dvorskiy involved rigging test scores and paying off sports coaches to help students get into the country's top universities.
According to federal prosecutors, the Colburns pleaded guilty to their roles in defrauding The College Board by paying William "Rick" Singer $25,000 to bribe Dvorskiy, who arranged for a bogus test proctor Mark Riddell to fraudulently inflate the score of the SAT exam taken by the Colburns' son. As part of the plea agreement, the couple is to serve eight weeks in prison, along with a year of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and $12,500 fines, reports AP.
Singer, Dvorskiy, and Riddel have all pleaded guilty to federal charges related to their roles in the scheme. Riddell has been sentenced to four months in prison and Dvorskiy is scheduled to be sentenced in June.