A decorated former water polo coach at the University of Southern California went on trial Thursday for his alleged role in the sprawling college admissions bribery scandal.
Opening statements were underway in Boston federal court in the case against Jovan Vavic, the only coach of the many implicated to challenge his charges in court.
Prosecutors say the 60-year-old coach, who guided USC’s men’s and women’s water polo teams to 16 national championships, faked the athletic credentials of two college applicants and designated them recruits to his teams, which won them admission to the exclusive Los Angeles school.
He’s also accused of helping recruit other coaches into the scheme, which involved wealthy parents paying bribes to have their children admitted into elite schools using rigged test scores or bogus athletic accomplishments.
