College Admissions Scandal: Charges filed against Bay Area's Bruce and Davina Isackson

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Thursday, March 14, 2019
Nearly a dozen Bay Area parents involved in college admissions scam
The Bay Area parents named in the college admissions bribery scheme were entrepreneurs, investors and even a vineyard owner.More than a dozen Bay Area residents have been charged in the college admissions cheating scam, with five pleading guilty so far.

HILLSBOROUGH, Calif. -- More than a dozen Bay Area residents have been charged in Operation Varsity Blues, the largest college admissions cheating scam ever prosecuted in the United States.

LIST: These Bay Area residents have been charged in alleged college admissions scam

According to the complaint, Hillsborough residents Bruce and Davina Isackson paid more than $600,000 for their three children to control the testing environment and get into schools.

They also reportedly took a tax write off for bribes paid (page 114) and were worried about the potential press that could come from a scandal, discussing "the embarrassment to everyone in the communities."

This undated image shows Bruce Isackson.
This undated image shows Bruce Isackson.

Bruce was reportedly worried news of a scandal surrounding the college admissions cheating scam would hit the press and be the "front page story," discussing the embarrassment to everyone in the communities."

Bruce is the president of WP Investments, a commercial real estate investment and development company based in Woodside. The company's website says he "graduated from UCLA in 1980, then joined Cushman and Wakefield, where he specialized in the leasing and sales of industrial properties. During his twelve years at Cushman, Mr. Isackson was consistently among the firm's top producers on a nationwide basis."

They've been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and Honest Services Mail fraud.

READ THE FULL CHARGING DOCUMENT HERE (PAGES 107-118)

Bruce and Davina each have a $2 million unsecured bond. Bruce appeared Tuesday in San Francisco. Both are expected to appear again March 29 in Boston.

It's unclear whether or not Davina has been arrested or appeared initially yet.

RELATED: Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin among actresses, CEOs charged in alleged college admissions scam

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