Indo-Canadian businessman stripped of top award for admission fraud : The Tribune India

Vancouver, June 13

Indo-Canadian businessman and former national football player David Sidoo has been stripped of the Order of British Columbia for his links to the US college admissions scandal of 2019.

In the scandal, over 50 people have been charged with paying millions in bribes to get their children admitted to top US institutions.

The 60-year-old businessman and investment banker pleaded guilty in Boston federal court in March for using bribes to get his two sons admitted to American colleges.

According to the FBI, Sidoo paid $100,000 to scandal mastermind William Rick Singer to use an imposter to take the standardised test (called SAT) on behalf of his elder son. It facilitated his son’s admission to Chapman University. He paid another $100,000 for the admission of his younger son.

Sidoo, who is yet to be sentenced for the fraud, has reportedly reached a plea bargain with the US attorney to face 90 days in jail and a fine of $250,000.

His sentencing hearing comes up on July 15.

The Order of British Columbia is the highest award given by British Columbia province in Canada for top achievers in different fields.

With this order, Sidoo has become the first person to be stripped of this award. He has been ordered to return the award insignia immediately.

A celebrated soccer player, Sidoo was the first Indo-Canadian to enter the Canadian Football League. Later, he was inducted into the British Columbia Football Hall of Fame.

To celebrate his achievements, his alma mater – the University of British Columbia in Vancouver – had renamed a stadium David Sidoo Field. But his name was removed from the stadium in March after he pleaded guilty to the fraud.

Sidoo’s father was one of the early immigrants from India. He was born in New Westminster which is part of the Vancouver area. IANS