California Mom Sentenced To Five Weeks In Prison For 'Varsity Blues' Involvement

A California mother was sentenced to five weeks in prison after availing of the fraudulent services of William "Rick" Singer to get her son to a prestigious school.

57-year-old Karen Littlefair told the judge in a videoconference sentencing Wednesday, July 15, that she was "truly sorry" for what she did. At the same time, the Newport Beach socialite asked for leniency and said that she only “acted out of love” but instead ended up "hurting my son greatly."

Littlefair pled guilty in using the services of Singer, The Edge College & Career Network, in December of last year. According to charging documents, Littlefair paid around $9,000 to have one of Singer's employees to pretend to be his son and take online classes. Those credits were forwarded to Georgetown, where her son graduated in May 2018.

In the summer of 2017, an associate of Singer took two classes for Littlefair's son. She later paid the "for-profit college counseling business" $6, 197. The associate then began taking a third class "in or around" the fall of 2017, but was emailed by Littlefair on October 15, saying that the class required video conferencing and that her son would be out of the country, said CBS News.

In her email, Littlefair wrote that the associate "should have a stand-in for (my son) that is highly briefed by (Key Associate 1)." The associate agreed and found a "fellow male colleague" to take the place of her son during the video conference.

Littlefair again sought the services of Singer in January 2018 to help with "one more course." The associate took a course at Arizona State University and transferred the credits to Georgetown under the name of Littlefair's son, added the network, citing charging documents.

But when the associate got a C in one of the classes, Littlefair asked for a discount when she was billed $3, 000, saying that the grade "and the experience was a nightmare."

Littlefair's lawyer, Keneth B. Julian said in a sentencing memo that the defendant's son has been revoked of his Georgetown degree and has resigned from his "ideal job." The Littlefair family has also been "publicly humiliated," he said.

"You're supposed to get more money by earning it and working for it and I think that's a lesson your son needs to learn and sadly he's going to learn it the hard way here," the judge said.

Littlefair pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in January. She became the 18^th parent to be charged and sentenced in the controversial "Varsity Blues" investigation, said Patch.