Former UCLA Soccer Coach Sentenced in College Admissions Case

BOSTON – The former men’s soccer coach at the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA), was sentenced today in connection with his involvement in a scheme to use bribery and fraud to facilitate the admission of applicants to UCLA.

Jorge Salcedo, 48, of Dana Point, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to eight months in prison, one year of supervised release and forfeiture in the amount of $200,000. In January 2021, Salcedo agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.

In 2016, Salcedo agreed with William “Rick” Singer, Ali Khosroshahin – a former head coach of women’s soccer at the University of Southern California – and others to facilitate the admission of a student to UCLA as a purported women’s soccer recruit. Salcedo emailed the UCLA women’s soccer coaches the student’s transcript, test scores, and a fake soccer profile that he had received from Singer and Khosroshahin. When UCLA compliance officers questioned how the applicant had been discovered and whether she actually played soccer, Salcedo created a fake backstory, resulting in her subsequent admission as a recruited walk-on for the women’s soccer team. Salcedo was paid a bribe of $100,000 for his actions.

In 2018, Salcedo agreed with Singer and Khosroshahin to “recruit” the son of another client of Singer’s to the UCLA men’s soccer team despite the fact that the student did not play soccer competitively. In the recruitment paperwork, Salcedo falsely reported that he had seen the student play in China and that he planned to offer him a 25% scholarship. The student was subsequently admitted to UCLA as a student-athlete on the men’s soccer team with a 25% scholarship. In exchange, Salcedo accepted a $100,000 bribe from Singer.

Salcedo also agreed with Singer to recruit another student in return for $100,000.

Singer and Khosroshahin previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the offense. They have not yet been sentenced.

Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.