The former University of Texas at Austin tennis coach accused of accepting bribes to help a local student get into the college pleaded guilty last week to charges that could send him to prison for decades.
Operation Varsity Blues defendant Michael Center, 54, of Austin pleaded guilty April 24 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in federal court in Boston, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Prosecutors claim he accepted a $100,000 bribe from the scam’s alleged ringleader, William “Rick” Singer, in 2015 to designate a Los Altos Hills student as a recruit to the UT tennis program. Singer, in turn, is accused of accepting more than $630,000 in stock donations from the student’s parent.
In late March, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Christopher Schaepe came forward as the parent by disclosing the connection to his Menlo Park firm, Lightspeed Venture Partners, which subsequently fired him. The DOJ has not charged or named Schaepe, who denies any wrongdoing.
Center’s sentencing hearing is scheduled Oct. 30. His charges carry a maximum sentence of 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.
