Federal Appeals Court Overturns Fraud Convictions of First Parents Tried in College Admissions Scandal

A federal appeals court vacated the convictions of two parents in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, the first defendants tried among dozens charged.
The court found the trial judge erred in instructing jurors that admissions slots constituted property, and prosecutors failed to prove the parents agreed to join the scheme's broader conspiracy.
The ruling is a blow to prosecutors, who secured more than 50 guilty pleas from wealthy parents, celebrities, coaches and others in the scandal casting a spotlight on inequality in higher education.
The court upheld one conviction against John Wilson for filing a false tax return but overturned all other counts against him and co-defendant Gamal Abdelaziz.
The possibility of a retrial remains but would face difficulties, legal experts say.