If you were a fan of Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, then this one’s for you.
The Netflix documentary about the 2019 college admissions scandal is now streaming.
Operation Varsity Blues is the latest from Chris Smith, the filmmaker behind The Disappearance of Madeline McCann and Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened.
Those who are unfamiliar with the documentary’s subject matter – the 2019 college admissions scandal – are in for a treat. The criminal conspiracy saw a number of wealthy parents pay up to $25 million in a bribery scheme to secure their child’s place in top universities.
Full House star Lori Loughlin and Desperate Housewives actress Felicity Huffman were among the parents involved in the scheme.
William Rick Singer orchestrated the plan together with 33 parents. He took money from the parents and used it to inflate college entrance exam scores and bribe college admission staff.
The FBI labelled the investigation into the scandal Operation Varsity Blues, hence the name of the documentary. Authorities have charged up to 53 people for their role in the bribery over the span of seven years.
Operation Varsity Blues hones in on the scandal’s mastermind, Rick Singer. The film uses narrative recreations, real-life interview footage and FBI wiretaps to paint the picture.
When the story of the admissions scandal broke, it caused a media frenzy, largely because of the scale of the operation. It made headlines as the largest college admissions scandal in American history.
Many were frustrated that privileged people cheated the system to be even more in their favour. For instance, Senator Elizabeth Warren said that the scheme was “just one more example of how the rich and powerful know how to take care of their own”.
Others were critical of the lenient sentences handed down to the parents involved. Lori Loughlin, for instance, only served two months in prison. Felicity Huffman received a 14-day sentence and served just ten days.
Operation Varsity Blues is now streaming on Netflix.
