Former Pimco CEO to Be Sentenced in College-Admissions Scandal

Prosecutors are seeking 24-month prison term for Douglas Hodge, in what would be the longest sentence for parent

Douglas Hodge, the former chief executive of bond giant Pacific Investment Management Co., is scheduled to be sentenced Friday for his role in the sprawling college-admissions cheating scandal that has ensnared more than 50 parents, coaches and others.

Federal prosecutors say Mr. Hodge paid a total of $850,000 to the

  • company and charity of the scheme’s ringleader, William “Rick” Singer, as well as to
  • Georgetown’s former tennis coach and
  • a University of Southern California account controlled by an administrator who was also charged in the case. His tab was the largest of any parent charged.
How Rick Singer’s College-Admissions Cheating Scheme Spread
William “Rick” Singer used his network to recruit parents and coaches, often by word of mouth from clients who used his legitimate college-counseling services and through more formal referrals by financial advisers and others.
The Web

This diagram shows how parents, coaches and others came to know Mr. Singer, with some introductions dating back more than a decade. Not all depicted have been criminally charged or accused of wrongdoing; some of those charged have pleaded not guilty. No students have been charged.  Hover over the people and icons to see how they connect to each other and back to Singer.

Criminally charged, pleaded guilty

Criminally charged, pleaded not guilty

Not charged, a connector

←→Click for next slide
Note: A number of individuals were fired or resigned from their jobs or board roles in the wake of their arrests. Only those who already left their positions before their arrests are listed as “former.”
The information in this graphic comes from court records, interviews with dozens of people connected to the criminal case, and others in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and elsewhere around the country.
Criminal charges against individuals vary. For all parents, they include fraud conspiracy; some also face charges of money laundering conspiracy, federal programs bribery conspiracy and other charges. Most coaches and others with alleged connections to Singer’s scheme were charged with racketeering conspiracy, and some also face charges of fraud, fraud conspiracy, federal programs bribery conspiracy and/or aiding and abetting fraud.
Sources: Court documents; Wall Street Journal reporting
Credit: Elbert Wang

Mr. Hodge pleaded guilty in October to charges of fraud conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy and admitted to working with Mr. Singer over the course of more than a decade to slot four children into colleges as purported athletic recruits, even when they weren’t competitive players. He was in talks with Mr. Singer about a fifth child as well.

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Mr. Hodge apologized for his behavior in a letter to the judge ahead of his sentencing. “I have made serious mistakes in judgment, and, in the process I have violated the law. For these actions, I take full responsibility and I am truly sorry,” he wrote.

Prosecutors have asked for Mr. Hodge to be sentenced to two years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $200,000 fine and 300 hours of community service.

Mr. Hodge’s attorneys have asked for a prison term at the low end of the sentencing guideline range, which the probation office determined was between zero and six months, as well as supervised release and community service. They also requested the sentence be split between home detention and incarceration.

Thirteen parents have been sentenced so far, by three different judges. The longest prison term handed down was six months, by the same judge overseeing Mr. Hodge’s case.