Admission To College Is Valuable, But Is It “Property”?

February 17, 2022  |  The Insider: White Collar Defense and Securities Enforcement

The process of gaining admission to an elite college can generate anxiety and worry. It can also lead to prison. In 2019, the Department of Justice charged dozens of parents, coaches and others in several indictments in a scandal, known as “Varsity Blues,” for using false information about applicants to secure coveted admission offers at elite colleges and universities. In October 2021, the first two defendants to go to trial – approximately 50 defendants have pled guilty – were convicted of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud and other charges. Yesterday, private equity investor and former Staples executive, John Wilson, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and last week former casino executive Gamal Abdelaziz was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. 

Admission To College Is Valuable, But Is It “Property”?