1 THE ORIGIN Douglas Hodge, the former chief executive officer of Pacific Investment Management Co., is worth about $80 million. That's where this really starts. If Hodge hadn't been rich, he'd never have been able to hire Rick Singer to help his children get into college. He wouldn't have given Singer $850,000 to create fake resumes to make his kids appear to be athletes and pay bribes to slip them into prestigious universities. Unfortunately for Hodge, the last time he spoke to Singer, the FBI recorded the call. In March 2019, Hodge was arrested as part of Operation Varsity Blues and charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. 2 THE PLEA Like most parents ensnared in Varsity Blues, Hodge ultimately pleaded guilty. At his sentencing in February 2020, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton appeared to be disgusted. "Your conduct in this whole sordid affair is appalling and mind-boggling," the judge said. On the other hand, though the feds had sought a two-year prison sentence, Gorton gave Hodge nine months, plus a $750,000 fine and 500 hours of community service.
展开▼
