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A former University of Southern California coach accused in a massive college admissions scandal launched a new attempt to secure his acquittal after a federal judge reversed his conviction and ordered a new trial. doing.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani said some of the evidence presented by the government in the Jovan Vabich fraud and bribery case was unreliable and that the prosecutor erred in arguing with the jury about the alleged bribery. Vavic flourished as a water polo coach at the University of Southern California.
Vavic, who led USC’s men’s and women’s water polo teams to 16 national championships, was found guilty in April after being arrested in March 2019 in a headline-grabbing “Operation Varsity Blues” investigation.
Prosecutors have accused Vavic of accepting bribes of more than $200,000 in exchange for bogus competition qualifications to enroll college applicants as water polo players at USC.
College Admissions Scandal: Former USC Water Polo Coach Convicted of Taking Bribes, Candidate Goes to Jail
Prosecutors also pointed to wiretapping records in which Vavic called the arrangement a “win-win” situation, saying that Vavic helped get others involved in the scheme, and that he questioned the plan. He encouraged his fellow coaches to ‘just do it’.
Prosecutors said Rick Singer, an admissions consultant at the heart of the scheme, paid for Vavic’s water polo program and Vavic’s children’s private school tuition.
College admissions scandal: First trial of alleged bribery scheme heads to jury
Vavic’s attorneys argued at trial that he only did what he could to raise money for the dominant program, as demanded by athletic officials at an elite Los Angeles school. He always acted in the best interest of the school and his team, and insisted he never lied or took bribes.
Under the judge’s direction to the jury, prosecutors had to prove that the payment “served the interests of the defendant and harmed the interests of the university,” the judge wrote.
However, some of the alleged bribes went to the water polo program, not Vavic himself, and “there was no evidence in the record to suggest that Vavic was accepting the USC water polo team’s money for his own benefit.” Nevertheless, the prosecutor argued that he was acting against the university’s interest in accepting the money, the judge wrote.
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“No matter how objectionable, there is nothing inherently illegal about a private institution accepting money in exchange for student enrollment,” Talwani said. The government’s claim is further undermined by the fact that there was no indication that the money was returned.”
More than 50 people were convicted in the “Operation Varsity Blues” case. They include TV actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori her Rocklin, Rocklin’s fashion her designer husband Moshimo her Giannulli.
Vavic’s attorney, Stephen Larson, said in an email that the judge’s ruling “protects Vavic coaches from wrongful convictions.”
“In granting a new trial, the court confirmed what we have long argued: The government’s lawsuit is based on willfully false statements by admitted fraudster Rick Singer,” he said. said. “As we have proven, and as the court has confirmed, there is no evidence that Coach Vavic used his USC Water Polo program donations for his own benefit.”
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Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachel Rollins said her office was considering all options following the sentencing.
“We are very disappointed with this verdict, which we believe is not based on fact or law,” she said in an emailed statement. “The jury found Mr Babich guilty of all counts. Judgment was made and we believe they were right.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.