Is big money ruining football?
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:01 am
A student who had reportedly never played competitive soccer was named on UCLA's elite team alongside members of the U.S. and Canadian national side after her parents allegedly transferred Facebook shares worth $250,000 to get her into the school.
Lauren Isackson was given jersey No. 41 in 2017 on a team of all star players and required to stay on the side for at least one year, an indictment says.
But she made no appearances and played zero minutes during the season after her side included five U.S. youth national players and a member of the Canadian national team, Kennedy Faulknor. Her side finished second to national champions Stanford in the 2017 season.
Prosecutors say her parents, Davina, 55, and Bruce, 61, the president of a real estate development firm, spent more than $600,000 to get Lauren and her sister into UCLA and USC with fake athletic credentials.
The California couple are said to have handed over 2,000 Facebook shares - worth around $251,249 - and donations to college admissions scandal mastermind Rick Singer.
While her teammates at UCLA were playing for their state or national teams Lauren's roster lists her as team captain for Woodside Soccer Club from 2012-16.
Prosecutors say she did not even play competitive soccer - for a team or in a league - before joining UCLA.
