A former University of Southern California water polo coach has been sentenced to four months in prison for his role in the the massive college admissions scandal.
Reuters reports Jovan Vavic, 60, was found guilty on Friday of conspiracy and fraud for soliciting and accepting bribes, with prosecutors alleging he accepted more than $200,000 in bribes for designating unqualified students as water polo recruits so they could attend USC.
It look less than five hours for a federal jury in Boston to convict Vavic. The famed coach had led the Trojans to 16 national titles before he was arrested in 2019 after allegations of his involvement in the scam were made public.
Vavic denies any wrongdoing, claiming that he was merely raising money for USC’s water polo program, a demand which he alleges came directly from school athletic officials.
“We are disappointed but respect the jury’s decision and look forward to litigating what we believe are significant legal issues, which we believe should end the case,” Vavic’s lawyer, Koren Bell, told reporters.
Vavic’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions against dozens of wealthy parents and school athletic administrators in a scandal that was made public in 2019. Since then, 56 defendants have pleaded guilty, been convicted or deferred prosecution, with admission of guilt.
While speaking with reporters on Friday, U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins called the trial “one of the largest scandals in the history of academia.”
“In March 2019, my predecessor Andrew Lelling stood here announcing charges against 57 people nationwide for cheating on college entrance exams and bribing athletic coaches to secure admissions to elite colleges and universities,” Rollins said.
She added, “It is my privilege to stand here today just over three years later, to announce that justice has been served to every single person from fake proctors to test takers to coaches to the parents, have been held accountable.”
