Ventura dentist agrees to plead guilty

Ventura dentist Homayoun Zadeh has agreed to plead guilty to filing a false income statement in connection with the national university admissions scandal, federal officials said Thursday.
Zadeh, an associate professor at USC and internationally renowned periodontist, has been accused of paying scandal leader William “Rick” Singer $ 100,000 to help get Zadeh’s daughter admitted to USC. He pleaded not guilty two years ago to conspiracy to launder money and commit fraud.
The Massachusetts attorney’s office announced that Zadeh would be the 31st parent to plead guilty to the scandal. The list includes celebrities Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin and others accused of cheating to get their children into elite schools.
Officials said Zadeh, from Calabasas, had accepted six weeks in prison, one year of supervised release similar to parole and 250 hours of community service. Zadeh will also pay a fine of $ 20,000, officials said.
The sentence will have to be approved by a judge at a hearing that has not yet been set. Officials said the guilty plea and sentence ended the case against Zadeh.
Zadeh practices as a periodontist in Ventura and Woodland Hills. He did not return a request for comment on Thursday.
USC began dismissal proceedings against Zadeh after the scandal erupted. Officials said Thursday he was still on leave from college.
“We are actively assessing its status in light of today’s announcement by the Justice Ministry,” they said in a written statement.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach it at [email protected] or 805-437-0255.
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