First trial in college admissions bribe scheme to head to jury

Two wealthy parents who are the first to stand trial in the college admissions bribery scandal used lies and money to steal coveted spots at prestigious schools their kids couldn’t secure on their own, a prosecutor said Wednesday before jurors decide if the men are guilty.

Gamal Abdelaziz and John Wilson wanted a guarantee their kids would get into the school of their choice and agreed to use fraud and bribery to have them designated as athletic recruits to make that a reality, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Frank told jurors in his closing argument.

“These parents were not willing to take ‘no’ for an answer and to get to ‘yes,’ they crossed a line,” Frank said. “And in crossing that line, they broke the law.”

The case now will head to jurors more than two years after FBI agents arrested dozens of wellknown parents, athletic coaches and others across the country in the scheme involving rigged test scores and bogus athletic credentials. Nearly four dozen people have already pleaded guilty in the case.

Abdelaziz and Wilson face charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud. Jurors are expected to begin deliberating on Thursday after the judge gives his instructions.

Lawyers for the pair have painted their clients as victims of a con man: the admissions consultant at the center of the scheme — Rick Singer — who never took the stand. The parents insist they knew nothing about bribes and false or embellished athletic credentials and that Singer led them to believe they were making legal donations to give their children a boost in the admissions process.