Red flags were raised in college admissions scam

William "Rick" Singer ran a tight operation.

For years, he and his team churned out the bribes and lies at the heart of his college admissions scam without getting caught.

But there were close calls.

Well before federal investigators caught a break last year that led them to the Newport Beach, Calif., businessman and what prosecutors allege was his network of wealthy parents and corrupt college officials, a few people along the way caught glimpses of the deception Singer was peddling and raised red flags.

Questions from a counselor at a Los Angeles private school about a student who had been admitted to the University of Southern California as a water polo player despite not playing the sport prompted Singer and a USC administrator to shut down the inquiry with more