BOSTON, MA – John Wilson, a 64-year-old private-equity investor and former senior executive at Staples, was sentenced today for falsely claiming payments for his son’s admission to the University of Southern California (USC) as tax-deductible business and charitable expenses.
U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin sentenced Wilson to one year of probation, with the first six months under home detention, and 250 hours of community service. Wilson was also ordered to pay a fine of $75,000 and restitution amounting to $88,546.
In October 2021, Wilson was convicted of various counts including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced in February 2022 to 15 months in prison and a fine of $200,000. The First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the false tax return conviction in May 2023 while vacating other counts.
According to trial evidence, Wilson agreed to pay William “Rick” Singer $220,000 in 2013 to facilitate his son’s admission to USC as a supposed water polo recruit. Wilson used his investment firm’s corporate account to make payments, disguising them as business and charitable expenses. He also sought to secure the college admission of his daughters as fake athletic recruits. Singer was sentenced to 42 months in prison in January 2023.