Bruce Isackson, College Admissions Bribery, California 2023

Bruce Isackson, 62, and Davina Isackson, 55, of Hillsborough, Calif., copped to their roles in the sprawling college admissions bribery scheme, admitting in federal court in Boston they paid a jaw-dropping $600,000 to cheat the system and buy their children’s way into elite universities. The couple, once living a life of Silicon Valley privilege, now face federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.

Bruce Isackson, in addition to the fraud charge, also pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the IRS. The Isacksons funneled bribes through William “Rick” Singer’s sham charity, disguising six-figure payments as tax-deductible donations — a move that not only gamed college admissions but shredded federal tax law. Their deception shaved down their tax bill while pumping illicit cash into rigged entrance exams and fake athletic recruiting profiles for both of their daughters.

The money bought more than just test scores. It bought access to a criminal pipeline engineered to elevate unqualified applicants into schools like Yale, Stanford, and Georgetown. The Isacksons’ younger daughter was the beneficiary of falsified SAT results, while both daughters were pushed through Singer’s web of corruption using fabricated athletic credentials. It wasn’t talent that opened doors — it was cash, concealed as charity.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris has set sentencing for July 31, 2019. If the maximum penalties hit, Bruce faces up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge, another 20 on money laundering, and five for tax conspiracy — all with fines hitting $500,000 or double the value of the laundered funds. Davina faces up to 20 years on the fraud count alone.

The Isacksons are now cooperating with federal investigators, a move likely aimed at reducing their sentences in a case that has already ensnared dozens of wealthy parents, coaches, and insiders. Their cooperation could deepen the fallout in a scandal that exposed the rotten underbelly of privilege, where elite status wasn’t earned — it was purchased.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and IRS-Criminal Investigations’ Kristina O’Connell announced the pleas today. Prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney. As court documents stress, all charges are allegations — but in this case, the paper trail speaks louder than innocence.

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