New Allegations Of Prosecutorial Misconduct May Have Led To Prosecutors Open To A Single Charge Plea!

Prominent Vancouver-based Indo-Canadian businessman David Sidoo is expected to settle his case in the ongoing US College Admissions scheme this Friday with a plea arrangement with US prosecutors, DESIBUZZCanada has learned. None of the allegations against Sidoo or any of the parents have been proven in court. Recent developments in the case had exposed what defence attorneys say is very serious prosecutorial misconduct that is threatening to unravel the numerous serious charges brought against wealthy parents, including Canadians, who are accused of bribing or paying to have their children admitted to ivy-league US colleges and universities.  DESIBUZZCanada ran a feature on this last week. Given these developments, DESIBUZZCanada soruces say that continuing fighting the case was detrimental to Sidoo’s business and well-being and that even though his case was pretty strong but because of the way US legal system is set up with prosecutors wielding way too much power that it would be a waste of resources and time to continue fighting. And even if he had won his case, US prosecutors could easily try it in other states so it made sense for him to take a plea on a single charge with all others dropped.

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – Prominent Vancouver-based Indo-Canadian businessman David Sidoo is expected to settle his case in the ongoing US College Admissions scheme this Friday with a plea arrangement with US prosecutors, DESIBUZZCanada has learned.

“Mr. Sidoo will appear in Federal Court in Boston on Friday, March 13 at which time he will seek a conclusion to this matter through a plea to one of two charges of the pending indictment,” said a prepared statement from Sidoo’s lawyers Martin G Weinberg, David Z Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld.

“His desire is to seek finality to this process. Judge Gorton has cautioned both the Government and Defense to not be issuing media statements as the case proceeds to a jury trial for other defendants therefore neither Mr. Sidoo nor his legal counsel will be making any further statement.,” the statement concluded.

Sidoo, who has been accused of participating in a college-admissions scheme in the United States, had maintained that he is innocent and will fight all charges against him. He had faced a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in addition to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Sidoo’s lawyers had said previously that their client strongly contests the legal and factual basis for the allegations and will rely on his defence team to defend him in future court proceedings.

Recent developments in the case had exposed what defence attorneys say is very serious prosecutorial misconduct that is threatening to unravel the numerous serious charges brought against wealthy parents, including Canadians, who are accused of bribing or paying to have their children admitted to ivy-league US colleges and universities.  DESIBUZZCanada ran a feature on this last week.

In US District Court in Boston, Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton described the allegations of prosecutorial misconduct as “very serious" and directed Hollywood star Lori Loughlin’s attorneys to file a motion to dismiss, suppress evidence, or sanction prosecutors by March 13. Prosecutors must file a response by March 27.

Loughlin’s Attorneys also alleged in a court filing that new information shows that FBI agents bullied the key cooperating witness, Rick Singer, into ensnaring his clients in the investigation.

“They continue to ask me to tell a fib and not restate what I told my clients as to where their money was going — to the program not the coach and that it was a donation and they want it to be a payment,” Singer wrote, according to the defense filing. “Essentially they are asking me to bend the truth.”

Lawyers called the new evidence "devastating to the government’s case," adding that it "demonstrates that the Government has been improperly withholding core exculpatory information, employing a 'win at all costs' effort rather than following their obligation to do justice." They predicted it would set off a series of motions of defendants, including potential motions to dismiss the indictments.

Given these developments, DESIBUZZCanada soruces say that continuing fighting the case was detrimental to Sidoo’s business and well-being and that even though his case was pretty strong but because of the way US legal system is set up with prosecutors wielding way too much power that it would be a waste of resources and time to continue fighting. And even if he had won his case, US prosecutors could easily try it in other states so it made sense for him to take a plea on a single charge with all others dropped.

“David is a great guy and all of us make mistakes and sometimes we are blind when it comes to the well being and education of our children but I know that he’s innocent of the charges and I think it’s the best course for him to get back to his thriving business and put this nightmare behind him,” said a close friend of Sidoo’s who wanted to remain anonymous.

Sidoo is a 59-year-old former Canadian Football League player and well-known philanthropist who is among dozens of parents, including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, who have been charged in the scandal.

Sidoo is a recognized Vancouver businessman, philanthropist, former CFL player, and a mainstay figure in UBC’s athletics program.

He stepped aside from his roles as CEO of two separate companies in Vancouver after being charged.

None of the allegations against Sidoo or any of the parents have been proven in court.