Eric Rosen Featured on Campus Files Podcast

Inside the Varsity Blues Scandal: Eric Rosen and Operation Free Kick

In the latest episode of Campus Files, host Margo Gray revisits the infamous college admissions scandal, popularly known as Operation Varsity Blues, but this time through the eyes of the lead prosecutor, Eric Rosen. The episode, titled "Operation Free Kick," offers a gripping, behind-the-scenes look at how a white-collar fraud investigation unexpectedly exploded into one of the largest college admissions cases in U.S. history.

Rosen, an attorney in the Economic Crimes Unit in Boston, stumbled upon the scandal while investigating a pump-and-dump stock scheme involving financier Morrie Tobin. During Tobin’s cooperation, he revealed a bribe he had paid to the Yale soccer coach to secure his daughter's admission—a revelation that would eventually uncover a massive national conspiracy.

Eric Rosen's role was pivotal. Initially expecting a small, isolated case, he soon realized the depth of the operation. His team uncovered Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the scam, who ran an elaborate system of fake athletic recruitments and rigged test-taking, all funneled through a sham charity called the Key Worldwide Foundation. Rosen spearheaded the complex investigation, using wiretaps and undercover stings to gather irrefutable evidence.

Despite the media frenzy that followed the 2019 arrests, Rosen never sought harsh prison terms. Instead, his focus was on making an “impact case”—a case meant to change the system, not just punish individuals. His work led to over 50 indictments, reshaping compliance policies at universities and triggering wider discussions about privilege in admissions.

As Rosen reflects, the case wasn’t about the sentences—it was about deterrence, public accountability, and exposing how wealth and influence can warp systems meant to be fair.