Boston (AP) —The two wealthy parents who were first tried in a college entrance exam bribe scandal were coveted in a prestigious school where their children couldn’t secure themselves before the jury decided. Spent lies and money to steal. The man is guilty.
Gamal Abdellajis and John Wilson want to ensure that their children are enrolled in the school of their choice and agree to use fraud and bribes to designate them as athletic recruits. That’s what Federal Attorney Stephen Frank told the jury in closing arguments.
“These parents were willing to answer” no “and reach” yes “,” Frank said. “And by crossing that border, they broke the law.”
The case will go to the jury more than two years later FBI agents have arrested well-known parents, athletic coaches, and others across the country. With a scheme that includes incorrect test scores and fake athletic qualifications. About four dozen people have already pleaded guilty to this case.
Abdelaziz and Wilson are faced with crimes such as postal fraud and wire fraud, and honest service postal fraud and conspiracy to attempt wire fraud. The jury will begin deliberations on Thursday after the judge gives instructions.
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A pair of lawyers portray the client as a victim of a fraudster. Rick Singer, an admissions consultant at the heart of the scheme, never took a position. Parents claimed to know nothing about bribes and false or decorated athletic qualifications, and made the singer believe that the singer was making legitimate donations to support the admission process.
“John is not part of the singer’s scam. There is no evidence or even a hint that John understood the singer’s scam. The truth is simple. John is the singer’s victim, twice instead of once. “Wilson’s lawyer, Michael Kendal, told the jury.
Abdelaziz, a former casino executive from Las Vegas, has been charged with paying $ 300,000 to enroll his daughter as a basketball recruit at the University of Southern California. Wilson, a former Staples executive who now heads a private equity firm in Massachusetts, paid $ 220,000 to nominate his son as a USC waterball recruit, and another $ 1 million to pay two daughters to Harvard and Stanford. Has been accused of purchasing the road.
Prosecutors were secretly recorded between the singer and parents to prove that their parents were enthusiastic about participating in the fraud, as well as knowing that their payment was a bribe. Played a number of phone calls to the jury. The singer, who began working with investigators in 2018 in the hope of receiving minor punishment, pleaded guilty but has not yet been sentenced.
On a phone call with the singer, Wilson asked which sport was “best” for his twin daughters. The singer replied, “It doesn’t matter,” because Wilson lives in Cape Cod, and “makes them a sailor or something.”
Wilson laughed and asked the singer. What if you have twins? “
The singer told Abdelaziz on another phone that his foundation was being audited by the IRS. Ruth officials instructed the singer to use it in the hope that his parents would approve the plan on tape.
The singer told Abdellajiz that he wouldn’t say that the money was spent to send his daughter to school, “although she wasn’t a legitimate basketball player at that level,” and asked Abdellajiz if that was okay. ..
“Of course,” Abdelaziz replied.
Among those who testified in more than three weeks of trial was a high school classmate of Abdelaziz’s daughter. According to the prosecution, she had only played for the junior national team for two years, but a college essay said, “The basketball court is like my art studio.”
Abdelaziz’s lawyer said the prosecutor had cherry-picked from the phone to make it look like his client had done something wrong and didn’t call a major witness like Singer. Blame. Brian Kelly said Abdelaziz had never seen the girl’s fake movement profile and had never agreed to bribe anyone.
“It’s all smoke and mirrors,” Kelly said of the government case. “They have no evidence to prove he is guilty,” he added.
Wilson’s lawyer may think Wilson is “naive” or “stupid” to believe in the singer when the admissions consultant tells the jury that the school has approved his so-called “sidedoor” business. I said no. According to Kendal, he committed a crime.
“If John Wilson believed in the story Mr. Singer told him, and he apparently did. It proves that he acted in good faith and you have to admit that he is not guilty. No, “he said.
Copyright 2021 AP communication. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
First Trial of College Admission Bribery Scheme to Jury | State
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