Varsity Blues: First Circuit Overturns College Admissions Scheme Convictions – Part Two

July 25, 2023  |  New York Law Journal

In the second of two articles about the First Circuit’s decision in the "Varsity Blues" prosecution, United States v. Abdelaziz, 68 F.4th 1 (1st Cir. 2023), Elkan Abramowitz and Jonathan Sack discuss the court’s rulings regarding the bribery and fraud charges against the defendants. In "The Varsity Blues: First Circuit Overturns College Admissions Scheme Convictions – Part Two," they explain the court’s conclusion that certain payments may constitute bribery under the federal programs bribery statute (18 U.S.C. 666) though not under an honest services theory of mail/wire fraud.  We also discuss the court’s analysis of whether college admissions slots constitute “property” under the mail/wire fraud statutes. We hope you find the article of interest.

Click here to read Part I of the series where Abramowitz and Sack explore the court's decision to overturn convictions based on an improper "hub and spoke" conspiracy charge.

 

Varsity Blues: First Circuit Overturns College Admissions Scheme Convictions – Part Two (pdf | 123.59 KB)