Two fathers are found guilty in first college admissions scandal trial: Casino executive and Staples boss face up to 20 years in prison for buying their kids' way into Ivy league schools
Two wealthy fathers have been convicted in the first US college admissions scandal trial for trying to buy their children's way into elite universities as phony athletic recruits - and could face up to 20 years in prison each.
On Friday, a federal jury in Boston found former casino executive Gamal Aziz, 64, and Staples boss John Wilson, 62, guilty of fraud and bribery conspiracy charges related to their payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure admissions spots for their kids.
They were both convicted of committing bribery and fraud, and Wilson was also convicted of filing a false tax return.
They both face up to 20 years in prison, according to The New York Times.
They are among nearly 60 people charged in the investigation dubbed by authorities as 'Operation Varsity Blues' that also ensnared athletic coaches at such prestigious schools as Georgetown and Yale. Other parents were accused of paying hefty bribes to have people cheat on their kids' entrance exams.
Thirty-three parents have pleaded guilty, including TV actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and Loughlin´s fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli. The parents have so far received punishments ranging from probation to nine months in prison. In total, nearly four dozen people have admitted to charges.
Two wealthy fathers who were the first to face trial in the U.S. college admissions scandal were convicted on Friday of charges that they corruptly tried to buy their children's way into elite universities as phony athletic recruits, and they could face up to 20 years in prison. A federal jury in Boston found former casino executive Gamal Aziz, 64, (left) and Staples boss John Wilson, 62, (right) guilty of fraud and bribery conspiracy charges related to their payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure admissions spots for their kids
Ilene Jaroslaw, a chairwoman at Phillips Nizer law firm, told The New York Times that she didn't believe either man would sentenced more than five years.
Aziz was found guilty after agreeing to pay $300,000 in 2018 to secure his daughter's admission to the University of Southern California (USC) as a basketball recruit.
Prosecutors also said Wilson paid $220,000 in 2014 to have his son falsely designated a USC water polo recruit.
They also said he later paid another $1million to try to fraudulently secure spots for his two daughters at Stanford and Harvard universities, an arrangement William 'Rick' Singer, 61, in part discussed with Wilson on recorded calls while cooperating with investigators.
Prosecutors alleged Aziz (center) agreed to pay $300,000 in 2018 to secure his daughter's admission to the University of Southern California (USC) as a basketball recruit
Prosecutors also said Wilson (center) paid $220,000 in 2014 to have his son falsely designated a USC water polo recruit
In a call prosecutors played for the jury, Singer told Wilson that it 'doesn't matter' what sport they were paired with and that he would 'make them a sailor or something.'
Wilson laughed and responded: 'Is there a two for one special? If you got twins?'
In both parents' cases, prosecutors said that Singer and others working with him created athletic profiles used in the admissions process that included made-up information about their children.
Full House star Lor Loughlin and her husband were among 46 wealthy parents who have pleaded guilty in the scandal; she was sentenced to two months in prison. Felicity Huffman spent 11 days behind bars for her involvement in the scandal
Laura Janke, a former USC soccer coach who has admitted taking bribes from Singer, testified that he later paid her after she left the school to create a profile for Aziz's daughter that falsified her height, team position and accolades.
William 'Rick' Singer, 61, was the mastermind behind the scandal. He pleaded guilty to racketeering and is in cooperation with the government. He has not been sentenced
Aziz and Wilson are among 57 people charged over a scheme in which wealthy parents conspired with California college admissions consultant Singer to fraudulently secure college placement for their children.
Singer pleaded guilty in 2019 to facilitating cheating on college entrance exams and funneling money from the parents to corrupt coaches and athletics officials in order to secure the admission of their children as fake athletes.
Both Aziz and Wilson are expected to appeal. Their lawyers contended they too were conned by Singer, who kept them in the dark about his scheme's mechanics and led them to believe their money was being used for university donations, not bribes.
The verdict followed a four-week trial that hinged in large part on recordings investigators secretly obtained of the two parents with Singer, who became the chief cooperating witness in the Operation Varsity Blues investigation. Prosecutors did not call Singer to testify, instead relying on his recorded calls with parents.
Both Aziz and Wilson paid to get their kids in to the University of Southern California
More parents are expected to go to trial next years.
Singer pleaded guilty to racketeering and is in cooperation with the government, according to The New York Times. He has not been sentenced yet.
Aziz, also known as Gamal Abdelaziz, is a former Wynn Resorts Ltd's executive. Wilson founded Hyannis Port Capital.
