Why Parents in the College-Admissions Scandal May Get Light Sentences

Jennifer Levitz and Melissa Korn:

Mr. Vandemoer admitted to taking bribes from Mr. Singer for Stanford’s sailing program in exchange for flagging some teens as recruited athletes, even though they weren’t competitive sailors, and giving them a boost in the admissions process.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Rya Zobel for a sentence of 13 months in prison.

But the probation department found no economic loss, since Mr. Vandemoer turned over his ill-gotten gains to Stanford. Stanford also told the court in a letter it hadn’t experienced financial loss.

Judge Zobel sentenced Mr. Vandemoer to one day in prison, which he already served, and two years of supervised release, including six months home confinement.

Mr. Lelling said in a statement after that sentencing that his office “will continue to seek meaningful penalties in these cases.”