A former tennis coach at Georgetown University will plead guilty for accepting more than $2 million in bribes to help children of wealthy parents get into the university through its athletics program.
According to court documents filed on Wednesday, Gordon Ernst has agreed to admit to charges against him including conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and filing a false tax return. His trial was scheduled for November.
While the accused has promised to ask for no less than one year in prison and forfeit nearly $3.44 million he earned from the scheme, prosecutors said they would recommend a sentence of no more than four years.
Ernst’s lawyer, Tracy Miner, declined to comment on the recent development involving her client.
Georgetown Admissions Scandal
Arrested in March 2019, Ernst served as head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Georgetown. He conspired with more than four dozen people to recruit wealthy students into the school’s athletic program, even though they did not play sports competitively.
The former coach was then hired by the University of Rhode Island, which said it was not aware of Ernst’s violations. However, he tendered his resignation shortly after his arrest.
Ernst is one of 57 people charged in the admissions scheme, 46 of which, including 33 parents, have already pleaded guilty.
