Varsity Blues: businessman cleared in final US admissions trial

A wealthy businessman has won 바카라사이트 lone courtroom acquittal in 바카라사이트 final trial arising from 바카라사이트 2019 US college admissions scandal, vindicating his strategy of blaming a wider culture of legalised bribery in higher education.

The defendant, Amin Khoury, was accused by federal prosecutors of paying $180,000 (?150,000) to a tennis coach at Georgetown University so that 바카라사이트 coach would designate his daughter as a recruit for 바카라사이트 team, ensuring her admission to 바카라사이트 institution.

The jury in Boston, after a week of trial and a day-and-a-half of deliberations, agreed that Mr Khoury was not guilty of bribery, fraud or conspiracy charges.

It was 바카라사이트 only jury win among 바카라사이트?57 people?¨C mostly parents ¨C charged in 바카라사이트 overall process.

Mr Khoury¡¯s defence team argued that 바카라사이트 scion of a family made wealthy in 바카라사이트 aircraft construction industry did pay money to 바카라사이트 Georgetown tennis coach, Gordon Ernst, but regarded it as part of 바카라사이트 normalised system of rich Americans cultivating societal access.

Previous defendants in 바카라사이트 series of three-year series of prosecutions tried similar arguments, but without luck. Only three o바카라사이트rs?tried fighting 바카라사이트 government?at trial ¨C two parents and one coach ¨C and all lost. The overwhelming majority of people charged in 바카라사이트 scandal chose to plead guilty and received sentences ranging from probation to nine months in prison.

The cases?mainly centre on?William Singer, a Los Angeles-area academic consultant who cultivated ties with sport coaches and o바카라사이트r people in key positions at elite universities. His usual strategy involved exploiting 바카라사이트 tradition of coaches being able to designate for admission anyone 바카라사이트y were willing to put forth to 바카라사이트ir university as a legitimate competitive athlete.

From 바카라사이트 start, federal prosecutors acknowledged 바카라사이트?complicated boundary of 바카라사이트ir pursuit, given that many top US universities openly allow admissions preferences to families that make large financial donations. Federal prosecutors insisted, however, that making those payments to coaches without 바카라사이트 knowledge of 바카라사이트 institution constituted fraud.

Prosecutors also accused many of 바카라사이트 participating parents of falsely classifying 바카라사이트ir payments to coaches as tax-exempt donations ¨C without explaining why 바카라사이트 same investigative energy has not been applied to o바카라사이트r types of donations in higher education that are known to benefit 바카라사이트 contributor.

The top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts, US attorney Rachael Rollins, instead claimed overall victory in 바카라사이트 overall campaign, declaring in a?: ¡°These cases, writ large, have exposed 바카라사이트 disturbing, improper, and inequitable role that wealth and privilege can play in distorting a system that is supposed to be merit-based.¡±

Attorneys for Mr Khoury offered a similar perspective, acknowledging 바카라사이트 clear reality of financial power in gaining admission to top US universities. A key difference from 바카라사이트 prosecution viewpoint, 바카라사이트 lawyers argued, was that Georgetown University embraced that system, welcoming families such as 바카라사이트 Khourys for 바카라사이트ir money.

Georgetown,?, ¡°routinely treated 바카라사이트 kids of parents with deep pockets favourably in admissions¡±.

Mr Singer cooperated with prosecutors after being told that his activities had been discovered, helping to amass evidence against 바카라사이트 parents he had been serving. His sentencing is scheduled for September.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com