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Former Wake Forest coach’s U.S. college scandal charges could be dropped in deal By Reuters

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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO. William Ferguson (ex-Wake Forest University women’s volleyball coach) is facing charges in an alleged college admissions fraud scheme. He arrived at the Boston federal courthouse on March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Sn

Nate Raymond

BOSTON, (Reuters) – A Wake Forest University former coach of women’s volleyball has reached a settlement with federal prosecutors. This could allow him to be released from the U.S. College Admissions Fraud and Bribery Scheme.

A deferred prosecution agreement was signed Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Boston. It stated that William Ferguson would be released from the Boston case after two-years if he pays $50,000 in fines and meets other conditions.

Ferguson (51) also acknowledged responsibility for the college admissions scandal. In 2017, he admitted that he had helped the mastermind to secure admission for a student recruited as a volleyball player in return for “purported donations”.

William “Rick” Singer (college admissions consultant) paid $100,000 for three accounts. He also gave $40,000 to Winston-Salem school’s volleyball program, and $50,000 to Ferguson-controlled private volleyball camps.

Ferguson’s lawyer has not responded to any requests for comment.

The agreement’s unsealing came after a federal jury on Friday in the first trial in the scandal found two wealthy fathers guilty https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/two-parents-convicted-first-us-college-admissions-scandal-trial-2021-10-08 of trying to buy their children’s way into elite universities as phony athletic recruits.

Ferguson and two other fathers, Gamal Aziziz (ex-casino executive) and John Wilson (founder of private equity company founder), were just a few of the 57 who were indicted over scheme by parents to fraudulently place their children at college.

Singer was a part of the team and pleaded guilty to helping them cheat on college entrance exams. Singer also used bribery in order to get admission to students pretending to be athletes.

47 people, including Lori Loughlin (Full House) and Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives), have pled guilty.

Ferguson was due to stand trial alongside Donna Heinel (a former University of Southern California senior assistant athletic director) and Jovan Vavic, former USC waterpolo coach.

They have pleaded innocent. They were recently ruled not guilty by a federal judge.

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