Parent Charged in College Admission Case Pleads Guilty

Government recommends 18 months in prison

BOSTON – A California parent charged in the college admissions case pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with paying $400,000 to facilitate his child’s admission to Georgetown University.

Stephen Semprevivo, 53, of Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2019.

As set forth in the charging documents, Semprevivo paid $400,000 to facilitate his son’s admission to Georgetown University as a purported tennis recruit.

Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.         

The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 18 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $95,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.