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LA businessman sentenced in college admissions scandal

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A Los Angeles businessman who admitted paying $250,000 to have his son admitted to USC as a water polo recruit even though he had never actually played the sport was sentenced this week to four months in prison.

During his sentencing in federal court in Boston, Devin Sloane, who founded a drinking and wastewater systems company, was also ordered to pay a $95,000 fine and perform 500 hours of community service.

Sloane pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. He pleaded guilty on the same day as “Desperate Housewives” actress Felicity Huffman, who was sentenced earlier this month to pay a $30,000 fine and serve 14 days behind bars for paying to have her daughter’s college-entrance exam answers corrected.

Prosecutors said Sloane paid more than $250,000—largely to Rick Singer, the Newport Beach businessman and admitted ring-leader of the wide-ranging college-admissions cheating scandal—to facilitate his son’s admission into USC as a water polo recruit.

According to court documents, Sloane purchased water polo gear online and hired a graphic designer to create a photo of his son appearing to be playing the sport, all in an effort to portray his son as a member of the Italian junior national water polo team.

Prosecutors had asked that Sloane serve a year in prison.

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