Former Georgetown University tennis coach Gordon Ernst, accused of accepting and soliciting bribes as part of the Varsity Blues college-admissions scandal, pleaded guilty in Boston federal court Monday.

       Wp Get the full experience.Choose your plan ArrowRight

       Ernst, 54, was accused of taking more than $2.7 million in bribes for spots on Georgetown’s tennis teams between 2012 and 2018, part of a sweeping scheme orchestrated by California-based consultant William “Rick” Singer, court documents show. Singer offered wealthy families what he called a “side door” into elite colleges, including favors in admissions offices and special test-taking arrangements that provided a cover for cheating.

       Prosecutors said Ernst, in exchange for bribes from Singer and applicants’ families, named at least 12 Georgetown applicants as tennis recruits, including some who did not play the sport competitively.

       ‘Three spots’: Alleged bribery of tennis coach stings Georgetown admissions

       Ernst pleaded guilty Monday to charges including three counts of federal programs bribery and one count of filing a false tax return. The former coach, according to prosecutors, also failed to report a significant portion of the millions he received on federal income taxes.

       Advertisement

       Story continues below advertisement

       Tracy Miner, Ernst’s attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

       In a plea agreement released last month, prosecutors recommended Ernst serve at least one but no more than four years in prison, with two years of supervised release. Ernst also agreed to forfeit more than $3.4 million.

       The college-admissions scandal rattled rich parents. But will it change them?

       Ernst was named by prosecutors in 2019 as one of the individuals involved in the wide-reaching admissions scandal — along with former coaches from Yale and Stanford and a handful of famous parents, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. About four dozen people in all have pleaded guilty.

       Ernst’s sentencing is scheduled for March 2, prosecutors said.