A Surrey mother has been arrested in connection with the U.S. college admission scandal.
Xiaoning Sui, 48, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. She was arrested in Spain and authorities are seeking her extradition to the U.S.
An indictment states that Sui paid US$400,000 to Rick Singer, the man at the centre of the admissions scandal that has led to more than 50 arrests, to have her son admitted to UCLA as a soccer recruit.
Globalnews.ca coverage of the U.S. college admissions scandal
After Sui sent Singer her son’s transcript and photos of him playing tennis, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges, co-conspirator Laura Janke reportedly fabricated a soccer profile for Sui’s son that described him as a top player for two private soccer clubs.
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Sui’s son was admitted to UCLA as a recruited soccer player in November of last year and given a scholarship of 25 per cent.
Sui is the second person from B.C. connected to the U.S. college admission scandal.
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Vancouver businessman and philanthropist David Sidoo is accused of paying $200,000 in total for someone to take the SAT on behalf of both his sons, as well as paying an undisclosed amount for someone to fly to Vancouver to take a high school graduation exam in place of his older son.
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Sidoo has denied the charges.
None of the allegations against Sui and Sidoo have been proven in court.
Last week, actor Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in prison for her involvement in the college admissions scandal.
The former Desperate Housewives star also received a US$30,000 fine, 250 hours of community service and one year of supervised release.
Among those fighting the charges are actor Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, both of whom are accused of paying to get their two daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as fake athletes.
— With files from Chris Jancelewicz, The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
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