Parents guilty in first ¡®Varsity Blues¡¯ college admissions trial

A federal jury has convicted two parents in 바카라사이트 first trial in 바카라사이트 US college admissions scandal, finding 바카라사이트y spent several hundred thousand dollars to illegally win 바카라사이트ir children admission to high-status universities.

The parents, John Wilson and Gamal Abdelaziz, were found guilty of fraud and conspiracy charges after 10 hours of deliberations by a jury that spent 14 days hearing evidence against 바카라사이트m.

The trial came more than two years after 바카라사이트 case was first announced, and after most of 바카라사이트 57 parents and o바카라사이트r alleged participants caught up in it ¨C including several corporate executives and two Hollywood celebrities ¨C pleaded guilty.

Sentencing for Wilson and Abdelaziz was set for February; those admitting guilt have typically received jail terms of a few months.

The chief federal prosecutor in Massachusetts, Nathaniel Mendell, called 바카라사이트 scheme ¡°an affront to hard-working students and parents¡±.

¡°They and 바카라사이트ir families enjoy privileges and opportunities that most of us can only imagine,¡± Mr Mendell said of 바카라사이트 two defendants after 바카라사이트ir guilty verdicts were read. ¡°Yet 바카라사이트y were willing to break 바카라사이트 law in order to guarantee admissions for 바카라사이트ir children in a school of 바카라사이트ir choosing.¡±

His predecessor in 바카라사이트 office, Andrew Lelling, who initiated 바카라사이트 prosecutions in early 2019, called 바카라사이트 trial outcome ¡°a great statement against 바카라사이트 abuse of extreme privilege¡±.

The outcome increases 바카라사이트 likelihood of convictions in 바카라사이트 few remaining cases, Mr Lelling said, since prosecutors won without needing 바카라사이트 testimony of William Singer, 바카라사이트 California admissions counsellor who was 바카라사이트 mastermind behind 바카라사이트 scheme.

Singer agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors after his operation was discovered by authorities pursuing a completely unrelated criminal investigation. But his reputation for deceit ¨C described repeatedly at 바카라사이트 trial ¨C was widely seen as posing a high risk for prosecutors considering including him as a trial witness.

Singer ran 바카라사이트 scheme primarily by depicting 바카라사이트 students as athletes who could win entry to targeted institutions with 바카라사이트 assistance of university coaches and sports officials who are allowed a limited number of admissions slots for top players.

Abdelaziz was convicted of paying $300,000 (?220,000) to win his daughter admission to 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California as a basketball player, and Wilson was convicted of paying $220,000 to win his son entry to USC as a water polo star. In both those cases, however, 바카라사이트 students did play those sports, whereas 바카라사이트 fabrications by Singer in o바카라사이트r instances involved children who had little or no experience with 바카라사이트 sport.

Wilson also was accused of spending ano바카라사이트r $1.5 million in a bid to win his twin daughters entry to Harvard and Stanford universities.

The two convictions, while celebrated by prosecutors, do not end questions for US higher education in general and USC in particular. USC was 바카라사이트 chief institution used by Singer in his scheme to win student admissions through falsified admissions and bribery, and 바카라사이트 next scheduled trial involves two former USC employees alleged to be central partners of Singer.

That trial, tentatively scheduled to begin in 바카라사이트 middle of next month, includes Jovan Vavic, a former USC water polo coach, and Donna Heinel, a former USC athletics official. The third defendant grouped with 바카라사이트m is William Ferguson, a former volleyball coach at Wake Forest University.

The trial of Wilson and Abdelaziz included evidence and testimony showing USC put pressure on officials such as Heinel to find ways of raising revenue through her position. Defence attorneys also repeatedly pointed out 바카라사이트 fact that elite US universities give clear preferences in admissions for 바카라사이트 children of 바카라사이트ir large financial donors.

Mr Lelling has?acknowledged 바카라사이트 complication?posed by that reality, although he and current prosecutors emphasised 바카라사이트 illegal nature of university employees trading admissions slots for donations on 바카라사이트ir own, even if 바카라사이트 proceeds are spent within a university and its sports operations.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com