Exonerated 'Varsity Blues' Parents File $75 Million Lawsuit Against USC for Fraud

John Wilson, Cleared of Charges in College Admissions Scandal Seeks Justice

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- John Wilson, a Massachusetts businessman and former defendant in the high-profile "Varsity Blues" college admissions scandal, and his wife, Leslie Q. Wilson, have filed a lawsuit against the University of Southern California (USC) for fraud. The suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Sept. 20, 2024, by the Law Offices of William Charles Tanenbaum, Esq., seeks $75 million in damages from USC for its role in Mr. Wilson's wrongful conviction in the sensational and star-studded 2021 federal case which drew national media attention. After a protracted legal battle, all of Mr. Wilson's core convictions in that case were ultimately overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in May 2023.

"As it relates to the Wilson family, USC was not a victim, but rather, they were the architects of an athletic-related donations process that put a legal target on Mr. Wilson," said William Charles Tanenbaum, the Wilsons' attorney who filed the suit. "USC not only misled the Wilsons into making their donation under false pretenses but also had the audacity to keep the money even after labeling it, many years later, as an illegal bribe. This is a disturbing betrayal of donor trust and a disappointing example of institutional hypocrisy."

In part because of USC's actions, the suit alleges, John Wilson was charged on several counts in the Varsity Blues case including making a $100,000 donation to USC's Trojan Athletic Fund which the university assured him was legal and conformed to the institution's donation policies. The Wilsons relied on the representations of USC's Head Water Polo Coach Jovan Vavic and Assistant Athletic Director Alex Garfio that the donation was proper and an accepted part of USC athlete recruitment for non-scholarship players. John and Leslie both met with officials on USC's campus as part of their due diligence before donating.

The lawsuit further claims that USC engaged in "reprehensible" and exploitative behavior by misrepresenting its donation policies directly to the Wilsons then, according to Tanenbaum, "later ratified their in-person representations in a written 'thank you' letter sent to the Wilsons, which was printed on USC Athletics Department letterhead and signed by Associate Athletic Director Ron Orr, copying the USC water polo coach. USC further confirmed to the Wilsons the propriety of their donation by corresponding with the Wilsons during their son Johnny's freshman year as a full-time "redshirt" player on the USC water polo team, and as verified on the team's website and NCAA records.

Though dozens of other parents, including several Hollywood celebrities, pled guilty and were convicted of a variety of illegal activities in the Varsity Blues case, the Wilson's never misrepresented their son's credentials, nor falsely portrayed his academic and athletic record which made him a strong candidate for admittance to USC under any circumstances. Unlike many, if not all of the other defendants in the Varsity Blues case, the Wilsons' son was well-qualified to attend USC with a 3.8/4.0 GPA and a 93-percentile score on the ACT college entrance exam. He was an elite high school water polo player, who was twice invited to join the U.S. Olympic team development program and who was being recruited by other Division I colleges. He participated in the 2014 USC water polo team where his certified swim times proved he was one of the fastest swimmers on USC's 2014 team.

The suit claims John Wilson and his family endured a harrowing experience from false charges brought by Boston federal prosecutors seeking venue in the Wilson's home state of Massachusetts for this high-profile case, in part due to USC's actions regarding the Wilsons. The prosecution caused Mr. Wilson to spend nearly all his life savings on legal fees, fighting false allegations for over five years until all the core charges against him were overturned.

"Fighting these false charges has been a five-year emotional, physical and financial nightmare for my entire family," John Wilson said. "Worst of all, the reputations of our teenage daughters, who earned perfect and near perfect ACT test scores, were also falsely maligned in the media, all for crimes we did not commit."

"We did our due diligence and met with multiple senior people at USC to confirm our donations and the athletic admissions process and we did everything the school requested," said Leslie Wilson. "We were dedicated parents who supported our children throughout their academic and athletic careers. We would travel to team practices and games to support our son and the entire USC team, and we continue to have fond memories of the education our son received at USC. But, we need to set the record straight regarding the admissions process that USC created and guided us through." 

The case is expected to be closely watched by legal experts, education professionals, and the public as it progresses through the court system, potentially setting precedents for how universities handle donations and admissions in the future.

The full lawsuit is available at www.scandalwithinthescandal.com.

Contact:
Mark Hazlin
Email: [email protected]
Ph: (202) 289-4001

SOURCE Law Offices of William Charles Tanenbaum, Esq