Gregory Marcia Abbott, Mail Fraud and Honest Services Mail Fraud, New York 2019

BOSTON — Three wealthy parents caved to federal pressure today, pleading guilty to rigging their children’s college futures with bribes and deceit. Gregory Abbott, 68, and Marcia Abbott, 59, of New York, N.Y., and Aspen, Colo., alongside Peter Jan Sartorio, 53, of Menlo Park, Calif., admitted in U.S. District Court to conspiring to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud as part of the sprawling college admissions cheating ring.

The Abbotts admitted they paid Rick Singer $125,000 to fraudulently boost their daughter’s college entrance exam scores. The scheme involved Singer arranging for a proctor to correct answers after the test — a calculated betrayal of academic integrity. Their sentencing is set for Oct. 8, 2019, before Judge Indira Talwani, with prosecutors recommending one year and one day in federal prison, one year of supervised release, a $55,000 fine, and additional restitution and forfeiture.

Sartorio, a Silicon Valley father, admitted to funneling $15,000 through Singer to cheat on his daughter’s exam using the same shell game. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 11, 2019. The government will push for a sentence within the federal Guidelines range, plus one year of supervised release, a $9,500 fine, and full restitution and forfeiture.

All three entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud — a charge that carries up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or double the gain or loss, whichever is greater. Actual sentences will be determined by the court, weighing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, FBI Boston Chief Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell announced the pleas. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney from Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit — a team building one of the most aggressive white collar crackdowns in recent memory.

While these parents now face prison time, dozens of others remain under indictment. The DOJ’s investigation into the Singer-led bribery network continues. For now, the message is clear: wealth doesn’t buy innocence. Court documents, plea agreements, and case status updates are publicly available at justice.gov. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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