Which recent college cheating scandal has impacted college admissions the most?

Hey all, I've been seeing lots of discussions on the college cheating scandals, but can someone lay out the most recent one that had significant repercussions on the college admissions process? What happened, who was involved and how has it affected the college admissions landscape?

One scandal that has had significant repercussions in recent times is the 2019 "Operation Varsity Blues" scandal. Here's a brief overview:

Operation Varsity Blues was a federal investigation that uncovered a large-scale college admissions fraud scheme. The key conspirator was William "Rick" Singer, who owned a college counseling and preparation business.

Singer used illegal methods such as bribery of test proctors to improve his clients' test scores on the SAT or ACT, bribes to college athletic coaches to falsely endorse applicants as athletic recruits, and the use of a charitable foundation to hide the source of the bribes and to enable the parents to make tax-deductible payments. His clients included wealthy individuals, including CEOs, prominent lawyers, fashion designers, and Hollywood celebrities.

The fallout of this scandal was considerable and impacted college admissions in critical ways. One notable impact is heightened scrutiny on standardized testing administrations and increased test security. Many testing organizations have taken strides to crack down on cheating and ensure a fair playing field for all students. Because the scandal revealed that parents can pay to have their students falsely labeled as athletes and thus increase their chances of admission, colleges have intensified their oversight and steps to verify the athletic credentials of applicants.

However, as bad as the scandal was, it also prompted a lot of necessary discussions on the admissions process's fairness and access, particularly at elite institutions. It threw into sharp relief the systemic inequities in higher education, and many programs have since been implemented to increase access for disadvantaged students.

These efforts include expanded recruitment in lower-income areas, increased commitment to need-blind admissions, and richer financial aid packages, among others. In summary, while the "Operation Varsity Blues" scandal certainly did damage in the short term, it may also have prompted some positive long-term changes in college admissions, making the process more fair and accessible for deserving students.