Netflix Releasing 'Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal' Doc, Watch the Trailer

Netflix is releasing Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal, a film about the [...]

By Stephen Andrew

Netflix is releasing Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal, a film about the federal investigation of the same name, and the first trailer for the project was just released. Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal is part documentary and part reenactment-style biopic, taking much of the dialogue from actual federal recordings of conversations between those charges. The scandal was most notable for involving actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, as well as Loughlin's husband Mossimo Giannulli.

The documentary focuses heavily on Rick Singer, the ringleader at the center of the scandal. Singer was the founder and CEO of The Key, a college admissions-consulting business out of Sacramento, California. The new film features actor Matthew Modine as Singer and depicts actual conversations and meetings he held with wealthy parents who were willing to cheat the system in order to get their kids into high-profile and ivy league colleges. "I've done 761 what I would call 'side doors,'" Modine's Singer says at one point in the trailer. "The front door means getting in on your own. So I've created this kind of side door in because my families want a guarantee."

Huffman, Loughlin and Mossimo were all indicted for their roles in the admissions scandal and given prison sentences. Huffman pleaded guilty right away and was sentenced to 14 days in prison, though she only ended up serving 10 days. In her guilty plea statement, she said, "I am pleading guilty to the charge brought against me by the United States Attorney's Office. I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions."

Loughlin and Giannulli initially attempted to fight the case, but eventually, both pleaded guilty as well. Loughlin was sentenced to serve two months in prison, surrendering on Oct. 30, 2020, and being released Dec. 28. Giannulli was sentenced to serve five months behind bars and reported on Nov. 19.

He is still in prison at this time, likely being released in May, and has reportedly not been doing well due to having to be placed in isolation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. His son, Gianni posted on Instagram that the "mental and physical damage being done" to his father "from such isolation and treatment is wrong." Giannulli was reportedly placed in a medium-security cell, rather than a minimum security cell.

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