Beverly Hills real estate mogul sentenced in college admissions scandal dies by suicide
A man who was sentenced to 23 years in prison for taking part in the college admissions cheating scandal has died by suicide on Friday, according to a U.K.-based newspaper.
A man who was sentenced to 23 years in prison for taking part in the college admissions cheating scandal has died by suicide on Friday, according to a U.K.-based newspaper.
The Daily Mail reported that David Hodge killed himself at his home in Beverly Hills, California, while serving a sentence for his role in the cheating scandal, which was linked to a bribery scheme.
“We have some information that the family of the late David Hodge recently received, which has been confirmed by David’s personal assistant,” according to a statement from a spokesperson for Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “They are aware that he is deceased at this time.”
The newspaper said Hodge was found dead in his Santa Monica home on Friday morning by his personal assistant, who informed authorities.
Hodge, 35, was a founder of International Bridge, a college-admissions consulting firm that worked with college coaches in exchange for bribes and cash payments, which were allegedly laundered through a fake company. He was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services wire fraud in March.
The Daily Mail reported that Hodge’s father said the family was looking into how he died.
“We’re heartbroken and in shock,” David Hodge’s father said in the statement. “No one really knows why he committed suicide, but we will get to the bottom of it.”
He said he was speaking on behalf of the Hodge family.
“I hope nobody else has to go through what they have gone through, and we’ve tried to keep it as silent as possible,” Hodge’s father said.
Hodge was sentenced to the maximum penalty for each of the charges by U.S. District
