The mastermind behind the sweeping “Varsity Blues” college admissions bribery scandal that ensnared celebs Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman can resume coaching college hopefuls, as long as he discloses his bombshell conviction.
Massachusetts federal Judge Denise Casper ruled Monday that Rick Singer, 64, can start working again at his company ID Future Stars, which does consulting work for students trying to get into top universities.
But Singer must post “prominently” on his website a lengthy disclaimer about his criminal past and provide prospective clients with a notice containing the same disclosure, the judge ruled.
Singer was freed in March 2025 after serving a 42-month sentence for his 2019 guilty plea to charges of racketeering, money laundering and obstruction for taking bribes to help students get accepted to elite colleges by faking their test scores and exaggerating their achievements and credentials on applications.
“In March 2019, Rick Singer pled guilty to federal charges-including racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice-for his role in what was widely-publicized as the ‘Varsity Blues’ college admissions scheme,” the disclaimer begins.
The statement must also include the fact that Singer took in $25 million in bribes, $7 million of which he paid to his cronies and another $15 million he used “for his own benefit.”
He also must reveal the length of his prison sentence and divulge the fact he had to fork over nearly $20 million in restitution and assets. And he must link to a press release from the federal prosecutor’s office that handled his case.
Aaron Katz, a lawyer for Singer, said his client doesn’t mind the requirement shedding light on his shady past, according to a USA Today report.
Singer has “no problem advising current and future clients of his past actions … he had been doing so even prior to the court’s ruling,” Katz told the outlet.
As of Wednesday, the ID Future Stars website did not appear to feature the court-ordered statement.
But the site does hint at Singer’s wrongdoing in a statement by him, saying: “I am not afraid to tell people who I am and that I made a mistake, took full responsibility and want to share my expertise, passion, and desire to help shape our next generation’s leaders.”
In his scam, Singer collected purported “donations” from the rich and famous, including “Desperate Housewives” and “Full House” actresses Huffman and Loughlin, that went to his disadvantaged youth charity Key Worldwide Foundation.
Instead, he used the money for himself and to pay people off who were complicit in the scheme, including those who could help him fake test scores for applicants.
Huffman and Loughlin both pleaded guilty for paying into Singer’s conspiracy to help their kids get into prestigious schools. Huffman served eleven days of her two-week sentence and Loughlin served two months in a California federal lock-up.
The scandal erupted in 2019 following a federal investigation dubbed “Varsity Blues,” which ultimately saw at least 50 people convicted for their participation in the scheme.
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