Felicity Huffman, Lori Laughlin: How the scam of admissions to the university worked

They simulated disabilities. They photographed faces on the bodies of different students. They poured millions of dollars in bribes – part of a scam aimed at ensuring that children from wealthy American families enter the country's most selective colleges.

And, say the authorities, they got caught. On Tuesday, federal authorities unveiled the results of an attack on television celebrities and college coaches.

The scam required dozens of bribes from test administrators and relied on different college standards for student-athletes. William Rick Singer, the person at the center of the scam, described the situation more succinctly: "We help the richest families in the United States to educate their children."

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Here's how they proceeded, according to hundreds of pages of court documents detailing the allegations – the anatomy of a scam:

Administrator of university exams

Edge College and Career Network would help set up bribes for exam administrators like the SAT or ACT, according to federal prosecutors. In some cases, someone else has passed the test for the student. In other cases, the students received answers during the test. Their test could also be revised afterwards.

A lie leads to another

To get to this point, more deception was needed. These tests usually take place in group sessions, although students with disabilities have more time. They can also pass the test alone. This meant that parents should lie about the fact that their children had learning difficulties.

Students were also required to take tests on sites controlled by the network. Parents were asked to "make a pattern – such as a bar mitzvah or a wedding" which would explain why they had to take the test elsewhere.

In one case, a parent sent the network a sample of his child's writing so that staff could better replicate the physical style of writing. The example read in jagged letters: "This is an example of my current writing style. Thank you for your attention."

Were the students involved?

Apparently not. Many did not know that their parents were paying to illegally change their tests. A key witness, suspected of being Singer, said: "These are all children who would not have[ed] also and then they really have very good. … It was so funny, because the kids are going to call and say, "Maybe I should do it again. I did quite well and if I did it again, I would do better. & # 39; "

What you need to know: College coaches and celebrities indicted in the most important case of admission corruption ever met in elite schools

Claim to be an athlete

Universities and colleges that practice sports at the national level have special slots for student athletes. In general, the academic requirements for such slots are less stringent than for a traditional student. The key witness described this process as entering through a "side door".

Where is the money?

Parents would donate to a charity known as the Key World Foundation. This charity would then donate to coaches or university programs chosen by the coaches.

With the bribe in hand, the coach would then say that the student is an athlete, regardless of his physical prowess.

By channeling bribes through a charitable organization, parents were also able to benefit from tax deductions.

But would not people know that students are not athletes?

A cooperating witness told prosecutors that they would simply simulate sports references. In some cases, they organized photos of students involved in the sport. In others, they simply photoshop the students' faces on the bodies of real athletes practicing a real sport. In one case, the student would have played for a team out of China.

Column: College admissions are a rat race. Parents must withdraw

How much did they pay?

Network customers would pay between $ 15,000 and $ 75,000 per test. In one case, a student's family spent $ 1.6 million to be admitted to Yale University. Tuition fees at the university as well as registration fees, accommodation and board cost $ 72,100 per year. In the fall of 2017, Ivy League University, considered one of the most prestigious in the country, has admitted only 7% of candidates.

Is everyone involved?

Prosecutors said at a press conference that the scam would possibly involve more people than the defendants. And one of the cooperating witnesses said that he or she had worked sports scam with about 800 families.

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