header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
December 20
1892 - Benjamin Harrison establishes 555,520-acre San Gabriel Timberland Reserve (Angeles National Forest). First forest reserve in California, second in U.S. [story]
map


| Wednesday, Mar 13, 2019
Ali Khosroshahin at USC. | Photo: Daily Trojan.
Ali Khosroshahin at USC. | Photo: Daily Trojan.

 

Ali Khosroshahin, women’s soccer head coach for the University of Southern California from 2007-2013 and a technical adviser for the Santa Clarita Blue Heat professional soccer team from January-September 2018, is among the coaches indicted Tuesday in a federal probe of cheating and bribery in college admissions.

Khosroshahin (pronounced ho-SRO-sha-HEEN), 49, a Fountain Valley resident, is one of dozens of individuals allegedly involved in a nationwide conspiracy that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities as purported athletic recruits.

Athletic coaches from Yale, Stanford, USC, Wake Forest and Georgetown, among others, are implicated, as well as parents and exam administrators, in the $25 million scheme.

Following an extensive FBI investigation dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues,” the Department of Justice indictment was unsealed Tuesday in federal court in Boston, and federal agents in multiple states immediately began arresting defendants.

Khosroshahin was among the first 13 defendants taken into custody Tuesday in the Los Angeles area, including actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, according to Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

Arraignments began Tuesday afternoon in Courtroom 341 of the Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles.

Khosroshahin is charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering. He was ordered released on $100,000 bond, Mrozek said.

Laura Janke, who was Khosroshahin’s assistant head coach at USC until his firing in 2013 after three consecutive sub-.500 seasons, is also charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Both Khosroshahin and Janke are scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on March 25, according to court documents.

The indictment accuses Khosroshahin of taking bribes from co-defendant William “Rick” Singer to falsify college admissions applications and documents for students applying for admission to USC and the University of California at Los Angeles between 2012 and 2016.

Singer was charged in the indictment with racketeering conspiracy; money laundering conspiracy; conspiracy to defraud the US; and obstruction of justice. He pleaded guilty to all counts on Tuesday and is out on $500,000 bail pending his sentencing, scheduled for June 19 in Courtroom 12 before Judge Zobel.

“For example, Singer directed payments totaling approximately $350,000 to a private soccer club controlled by Janke and Khosroshahin,” the indictment reads. “In exchange for these payments, Janke and Khosroshahin designated four children of Singer’s clients as recruits for the USC women’s soccer team despite the fact that none of those children played competitive soccer.”

The indictment also calls for racketeering forfeitures in the amount of $356,047 against Khosroshahin and Janke, and another $75,000 against Khosroshahin.

Khosroshahin was a two-year (1989-90) soccer letterman at Cal State Fullerton before transferring to Cal State Los Angeles for his final two years (1991-92), according to his USC profile.

He graduated CSULA with a degree in business administration in 1994, then played with the Standard Falcons from 1995-96 and a with the Valley Eagles in 1997 in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues. He held an “A” coaching license with the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Khosroshahin was head coach of women’s soccer for Cal State Fullerton for nearly six years, from March 2001 to December 2006. There, he earned Big West Coach of the Year honors three times and the team competed in three NCAA tournament.

He was USC’s women’s soccer coach for seven seasons, from January 2007 to November 2013. He led the team to a national championship in his first year and to NCAA tournament play four times. However, he was fired in 2013 after his teams scored less than .500 for three straight seasons.

Khosroshahin also coached internationally. He served as an assistant with Mexico during the 1999 Women’s World Cup. He was on Mexico’s U-19 Women’s National Program staff in 2004 and the U-20 team in 2005 and worked with the Mexican women’s team to prepare them to compete in the 2004 Olympics.

From March 2014 to December 2018, Khosroshahin founded a company named Road to College Soccer, “Empowering families and Perspective Student-Athletes to take control and find their Road To College Soccer,” according to his LinkedIn profile.

The company provided “advisement and mentoring for individuals and families, teams, clubs, schools” regarding academic standards, financial aid and planning, and “truths about recruiting from a college coach’s perspective.”

In January 2018, Khosroshahin was named a technical adviser for the Santa Clarita Blue Heat, a United Women’s Soccer league team.

“He left in September,” Blue Heat owner Carlos Marroquin told SCVNews Wednesday. Marroquin said Khosroshahin was a short-term unpaid consultant.

“No money,” he said.

“We have too many characters in Futbol and not enough people with character,” Khosroshahin tweeted on Jan. 19.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

1 Comment

  1. Jacob Springer says:

    SCV, a vastly and continuously growing community lots of projects/construction is going, but you do not keep the SCV residents informed as to the current status of these numerous projects such as the “Sand Canyon Plaza” project and others. why couldn’t this site have a section that keeps resident updated on current and future developments. All it takes is a couple of sentences to do so.
    I’ve asked the same question a few times before and receiver very nice replies such as “good idea,we’ll look into it”, but that’s the end of it.
    Thank you, JWS

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Friday, Dec 19, 2025
Gibbon Center Needs Donations to Meet $15K Match
The Gibbon Conservation Center in Saugus is requesting donations, including memberships and gibbon adoption sponsorships to reach a matching goal of $15,000.
Friday, Dec 19, 2025
Friday, Dec 19, 2025
City Presents ‘Pop Culture’ Art Exhibit at the Newhall Community Center
The city of Santa Clarita will present its latest art exhibition, “Pop Culture,” on view at the Newhall Community Center now through March 25, 2026.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1892 - Benjamin Harrison establishes 555,520-acre San Gabriel Timberland Reserve (Angeles National Forest). First forest reserve in California, second in U.S. [story]
map
The Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees elected Matthew Watson as 2026 board president at the Tuesday, Dec. 16 organizational meeting.
Watson Elected SUSD Board of Trustees President
Los Angeles–based painter Jasimen Phillips is a featured artist in the city of Santa Clarita’s “Pop Culture” exhibition, currently on view at the Newhall Community Center through March 25, 2026.
Phillips Examines Evolving Relationship with Technology in Exhibit
The Gibbon Conservation Center in Saugus is requesting donations, including memberships and gibbon adoption sponsorships to reach a matching goal of $15,000.
Gibbon Center Needs Donations to Meet $15K Match
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees failed to complete its annual organizational vote to elect a new board president during its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 17.
COC Board Fails to Elect New President in Deadlocked Vote
There's no better way to celebrate the season than with toys, treats, and rollercoasters. My annual Foster Youth Holiday Party is one of the most special traditions we do each year
Kathryn Barger | Keeping Up With Kathryn
The Canyon Theatre Guild’s production of "A Christmas Story," adds shows due to high ticket demand. Shows have been added on Sunday, Dec. 21 and Monday, Dec. 22.
CTG ‘A Christmas Story’ Adds Shows, Dec. 21-22, Due to Demand
The city of Santa Clarita will present its latest art exhibition, “Pop Culture,” on view at the Newhall Community Center now through March 25, 2026.
City Presents ‘Pop Culture’ Art Exhibit at the Newhall Community Center
This week’s Foothill League matches resulted in the Saugus boys getting a firmer grip on first place, and the Saugus girls slipping into second place. Meanwhile, holiday tournaments are bringing both wins and losses from non-league teams, with more on the way.
Foothill League Soccer: Saugus Boys, Hart Girls Leading
1970 - Snow day in Santa Clarita Valley [photos]
Saugus train station
Do you have a passion for swimming and a desire to make an impact in your community? The city of Santa Clarita is seeking individuals with strong customer service skills and a commitment to community engagement to join its lifeguard team.
Applications Are Open for the Summer 2026 Lifeguard Season
Santa Clarita Valley residents need to put down the yule log and refrain from all residental wood burning fires on Friday, Dec. 19.
Dec. 19: No Burn Day Alert Issued for SCV, South Coast Air Basin
U.S. Rep. George Whitesides (D-Aqua Dulce), announced the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for California’s 27th Congressional District: the “MathViz” team led by local Academy of the Canyons student, Gautham Korrapati.
Whitesides Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge SCV Winners
The Mardi Gras Madness 1K/5K/10K, set for March 1, in Santa Clarita, is more than a race, it’s a celebration of health, community and giving back. Now through Wednesday, Dec. 24, take $10 OFF race registration with promo code WINTER10 at checkout.
March 1: JCI Santa Clarita Holds Mardi Gras Madness 1K/5K/10K Runs
Theatre Extempore will present the all time classic musical The Fantasticks, 8-10 p.m. Jan. 9-11. 15-18 at The MAIN.
Jan. 9: Premiere of ‘The Fantasticks’ Presented by Theatre Extempore
West Ranch High School senior Braulio Castillo (17) never did any long-distance running before high school, but what he has accomplished in that demanding discipline since taking it up is impressive. And, so far his senior year, it is phenomenal.
West Ranch Runner Going the Distance
Powerlab Studio will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting 4:30-5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8 at 28110 Newhall Ranch Road, Valencia, CA 91355.
Jan 8: Powerlab Studio Grand Opening, Ribbon Cutting
B2 Entertainment will have a Cookies With Santa event, 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 at 21516 Golden Triangle Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Dec. 21: Cookies With Santa at MB2 Entertainment
The College of the Canyons soccer programs will be hosting 'Friday Night Footy,' small-sided pick-up games, running on Friday evenings Jan. 2 through June 26 at the COC Soccer Facility.
Jan. 2-June 26: Cougars Soccer Programs to Host ‘Friday Night Footy’
College of the Canyons sophomore pitcher Nichole Muro will continue her academic and athletic career at Cumberland University after signing with the Phoenix softball program.
Muro Signs with Cumberland University Softball Program
College of the Canyons men's basketball won its fourth straight contest in an 80-72 affair at Napa Valley College on Monday afternoon, Dec. 15 as freshman Julius Washington led all scorers with 20 points.
Cougars Win Fourth Straight 80-72 at Napa Valley
Canyons women's basketball snapped a five-game losing streak with a 60-44 win over Diablo Valley College during the final day of action at the Napa Valley Storm Surge tournament on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Canyons Finishes Tourney Weekend with 60-44 Win Over Diablo Valley
1929 - Swift justice: Thomas Vernon sentenced to life in prison for Saugus train derailment & robbery 1 month earlier [story]
Tom Vernon
SCVNews.com