Accountant avoids prison time in college admissions scandal
BOSTON (AP) — An accountant who labored for the advisor on the heart of the faculty admissions bribery case has averted jail for his function within the sweeping scheme.
U.S. District Court docket Decide Indira Talwani on Friday sentenced Steven Masera, 72, to time already served.
Masera pleaded responsible in 2019 to a cost of racketeering conspiracy in Boston federal courtroom. Masera, of Folsom, California, was an accountant for Rick Singer, the mastermind of the bribery scheme that concerned rigged take a look at scores and bogus athletic credentials.
Prosecutors say Masera created pretend donation receipt letters and bogus invoices that allowed the rich dad and mom who paid bribes to write down their funds off as donations or enterprise bills.
Prosecutors argued that Masera is much less culpable than the dad and mom and coaches concerned within the scheme, noting that he was working at Singer’s course and “stood to realize nothing past his hourly compensation.”
An e-mail searching for remark was despatched Friday to legal professionals for Masera. His attorneys wrote in courtroom paperwork that he’s “ashamed that he would conform to be concerned in such conduct, however is nonetheless dealing with the state of affairs with grace.”
Singer pleaded responsible to a slew of expenses and has but to be sentenced. Others convicted within the case have obtained sentences starting from probation to 15 months behind bars.
