Parent Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty in College Admissions Case

BOSTON – A Pennsylvania man will plead guilty today in connection with using fraud and bribery to facilitate his child’s acceptance to Georgetown University.

Robert Repella, 61, of Ambler, Penn., will plead guilty to an Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. A plea hearing is scheduled before Judge Allison D. Burroughs today at 10:30 a.m.

According to the terms of Repella’s plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 10 months in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $40,000, and restitution. Repella is the 26^th parent to plead guilty in this case. 

As set forth in the charging documents, Repella, who was not involved in the conspiracy with William “Rick” Singer, agreed to pay the Georgetown tennis coach more than $50,000 directly, in exchange for purporting to recruit his daughter to the Georgetown tennis team. Repella has also agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation.    

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.

The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The Department of Education, Office of Inspector General provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney, Stephen E. Frank and Karin M. Bell of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.

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.