Vancouver-based stock promoter David Sidoo is expected to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud on Friday before a U.S. District Court Judge in Boston, Massachusetts.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleged in March 2019 Sidoo paid William 鈥楻ick鈥� Singer, the U.S. college admissions and bribery scheme mastermind, $200,000 total to have exam expert Mark Riddell take SAT tests for his sons Jordan and Dylan.
Sidoo鈥檚 defense team issued a statement that the former Canadian Football League player 鈥渨ill seek a conclusion to this matter through a plea to one of two charges of the pending indictment. His desire is to seek finality to this process.鈥�
Sidoo will be sentenced to three months in jail and be on supervised release for 12 months thereafter, as set out in a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed to court March 11 but signed by Sidoo February 6. One count of money laundering conspiracy against Sidoo has been dismissed by the DOJ.
Sidoo also agreed to a $250,000 fine and restitution to be determined by the sentencing judge.
Sidoo faced a maximum 20 years in jail and a maximum supervised release of three years.
However, the consequences may go well beyond that of jail time and fines.
Sidoo is a prolific junior stock promoter, investor and former broker whose business dealings may be impacted by his criminal conviction because wire fraud is a 鈥渞emovable offense鈥� under federal law, according to the plea agreement. As such, Sidoo鈥檚 ability to enter the U.S. in the future may be affected by his conviction. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling noted in the plea agreement that 鈥渞emoval and other immigration consequences are the subject of a separate proceeding鈥� and no one 鈥渃an predict to a certainty the effect of this conviction on鈥� Sidoo.
The University of B.C. Sports Hall of Fame member鈥檚 actions could jeopardize his sons鈥� graduate status.
There are no allegations that Sidoo鈥檚 sons were involved in any wrongdoing; however, colleges are reviewing present and past students connected to the scheme. Dylan graduated in cinematic arts in 2016 from the University of Southern California (USC).聽Jordan is a 2018 history graduate from University of California Berkley.
USC, for instance, has, according to president Wanda Austin, 鈥渋nitiated a case-by-case review of current students and graduates who may be connected to the alleged scheme鈥� and 鈥減ossible outcomes range from no finding of violation to revocation of admission, and will depend on the facts of each case.鈥�
Indictments from the DOJ had alleged Sidoo created false IDs for Riddell, bearing the names of his sons, who attended the prestigious St. George鈥檚 School in Vancouver.
Sidoo was alleged to have helped falsify Jordan鈥檚 university applications with an essay that initially included a fake claim of Jordan being held up at gunpoint by gangsters, while he was purported to be an intern for an anti-gang organization, according to DOJ court filings unsealed last October.
Then, Sidoo鈥檚 lawyer David Chesnoff told media Sidoo intended to defend all allegations after pleading innocent to the charges. 鈥淭he information released today are mere allegations from the mouths of admitted felons. Mr. Sidoo has a very robust defence that disputes these allegations,鈥� stated Chesnoff.
