Former soccer coach Laura Janke pleads guilty in college admissions bribery case


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Former USC women’s assistant soccer coach Laura Janke pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge Tuesday. Janke created fake athletic profiles to admit the students of wealthy parents who bribed her and other University officials as part of the college admissions bribery scheme.

In addition to Janke, several USC parents involved in the college admissions scheme also pleaded guilty. Los Angeles businessman Devin Sloane pleaded guilty Monday to paying $250,000 in bribes to admit his son to USC as a water polo player, despite the fact that his son never played the sport. Davina and Bruce Isackson, the president of a real estate firm in the Bay Area, pleaded guilty last month to getting their daughters into UCLA and USC through bribes.

Sloane and the Isacksons are among 14 parents who pleaded guilty to their involvement in the college admissions bribery scheme, code-named “Operation Varsity Blues” by the FBI.

Janke conspired with college admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer, the scheme’s mastermind, who has pleaded guilty to four felonies. While working at USC from 2007 to 2014, Janke created false awards for prospective students’ admission profiles and altered images to make the students appear as athletes.

Janke agreed to cooperate with the federal investigation into the scandal in April, the Daily Trojan reported.

In addition to pleading guilty, Janke entered into a formal cooperation agreement April 21, in hopes of receiving a more lenient sentence by providing information which could help prosecutors’ investigations, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Janke’s plea agreement includes a sentence for up to approximately three years in prison, according to the Los Angeles Times. Her sentence could be reduced if the information she provides prosecutors helps the investigation.

Janke will be sentenced Oct. 17.