Ex-Yale coach pleads guilty in bribery scheme

BOSTON (AP) – The former women’s soccer coach at Yale University has pleaded guilty to taking bribes in exchange for pretending that applicants were recruits for his team.

Rudy Meredith pleaded guilty in Boston federal court on Thursday to wire fraud and conspiracy charges.

Meredith is the third person to plead guilty in what authorities have described as the biggest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the U.S. Justice Department.

He has been cooperating in the investigation since April and led authorities to the admissions consultant at the center of nationwide scheme.

Meredith resigned from Yale in November.

Authorities say Meredith accepted a $400,000 bribe to help one applicant get into the school as a soccer recruit, even though he knew she didn’t play the sport.

Officials say he also solicited a $450,000 bribe from a father in a Boston hotel room that was bugged by the FBI.

The consultant, Rick Singer, has also pleaded guilty.