Private school founder pleads guilty to human trafficking

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By Mark Barber

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Evelyn Mack was in federal court a few months ago, she said she was not guilty and asked for a jury trial. Monday, Mack admitted she is guilty in case involving human trafficking.

Channel 9 promised to follow this case against Evelyn Mack since we broke news of the investigation in 2016.

The government said Mack set up a private school in Charlotte and used it to promise foreign teens they would play at a prominent school with scholarship offers.

Instead, prosecutors said those athletes vanished in the hands of recruiters and basketball coaches. Some reappeared in towns more than 100 miles away and others were missing for months.

[ [RELATED: Private school founder accused of hiding foreign students pleads not guilty]  ]

The government said Mack made around $75,000 by hiding 75 foreign student athletes who were in the country illegally.

Mack could face a lot of time in prison by pleading guilty, but as part of her agreement, the deal all but guarantees she won't be sentenced to anything more than 10 years.

"We're still probably in the middle phase of the process and we're looking forward to everything being good for Ms. Mack," Mack's attorney said.

[ [RELATED: Charlotte school leader allegedly hid foreign students from Homeland Security] ]

Prosecutors are still putting together their final recommendations when it comes to Mack's time in prison and until that's settled, Mack will stay out of jail on bond.

When Channel 9's Mark Becker asked if Mack had any remorse for what she had done, she did not answer. Her attorney answered for her.

"Does she have any remorse? Any apologies? All things in their time my friend and this is not that time," the attorney said.

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