Gamal Abdelaziz, 65, of Las Vegas, stood solemnly in federal court in Boston as a judge told him "it boggles the mind" that he worked so hard to pursue his own education yet committed a crime . Former Wynn Resorts executive Gamal Abdelaziz, right, arriving at Boston federal courthouse for his sentencing hearing Feb. 9, 2022. Prosecutors have alleged that Abdelaziz paid $300,000 to Singer in 2017 to get his daughter, who didnt qualify for her high school varsity basketball team, into USC as a basketball recruit. Abdelaziz and Singer discussed by phone how to handle the daughters absence from the basketball team. Aziz, 64, and Wilson, 62, sat emotionless as the verdict was read out loud finding them both guilty of conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and conspiring to commit federal programs bribery. They face the prospect of years in prison when they are sentenced in February, though the longest sentence any parent has received in the scandal so far was nine months. The former casino executive was convicted in October following a four-week jury trial of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and honest services mail fraud and wire fraud; and one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. One problem: The daughter hadnt made her high school varsity team. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The former casino executive was convicted in October following a four-week jury trial of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and honest services mail fraud and wire fraud; and one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. Dozens of high-profile parents, athletic coaches and others have beenarrested in connection with thescandal, but Abdelaziz and Wilsons case is the first to go to trial, with many others havingpleadedguilty. Singer, who began cooperating with investigators in 2018 in the hopes of getting a lighter punishment, has pleaded guilty but has yet to be sentenced. Normally, the prosecution would want such a key player to describe the conspiracy to the jury. Although Abdelaziz wont receive anywhere near the maximum, he could face several years behind bars. [2][13], In January 2013 Aziz was appointed president and chief operating officer of Wynn Resorts Development LLC, overseeing expansion opportunities. The parties have agreed to a sentence of at one to four years in prison, two years of supervised release and forfeiture of $3.4 million. In fact, he was interviewed in July 2013 after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission launched an investigation into the limited liability company that was selling the land to Wynn. Wynn recently paid a record $20 million fine to the Nevada Gaming Control Board as a result of similar allegations. Gamal Abdelaziz, 64, of Las Vegas, paid the bribe to secure his daughter's admission to the University of Southern California as a "basketball recruit." His daughter had not played. [27] He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release, 400 hours of community service, and pay a fine of $250,000.[28]. Dear Connections, As most of you know, we have faced with a very tragic, and crucial situation in my country. His attorney Brian Kelley said they intend to fight the allegations and stated to the press "we maintain it is a weak case", and that the government's case hinges on a "deeply compromised" witness. "If John Wilson believed the stories that Mr. Singer told him and he clearly did that proves he acted in good faith and you must find him not guilty," he said. Abdelaziz (known as Aziz") was one of fifty people arrested who were part of a scheme to fakeathletic. The trial hinged in large part on recordings investigators secretly obtained of the two parents with Singer, who became the chief cooperating witness in the "Operation Varsity Blues" investigation. [15] He resigned in September 2016 as president and as a board member of Wynn Macau. Singer told Abdelaziz the phony injury narrative was standard operating procedure for other families that went through the side door into elite colleges as fake athletes. that included falsified honors. Heres what we know, Governors declaration allows Los Angeles County to get reimbursed, Desperate Crestline residents help one another while awaiting assistance from San Bernardino County, Ex-sheriffs deputy gets 100 hours of community service for shooting hoax, California Republicans give a boost to Florida Gov. Longtime casino executive Gamal Abdelaziz has been named in the DOJ college bribery complaint and charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. In the end, this trial will unfold just as this years high school seniors are applying to college. [26] On February 9, 2022, Aziz was sentenced to serve one year and one day in federal prison. Singer pleaded guilty in 2019 to facilitating cheating on college entrance exams and funneling money from the parents to corrupt coaches and athletics officials in order to secure the admission of their children as fake athletes. . [22][23][24], On September 8, 2021, Aziz's criminal trial officially began, with jury selection commencing in a Boston federal court. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), 1-year sentence for bribe to secure daughters USC admission is stiffest penalty to date, 7 house fires prompt fears about gas meters buried in snow. In October, a Boston jury convicted Abdelaziz of fraud and bribery. Former Wynn Macau president Gamal Abdelaziz knew a thing or two about odds when his daughter wanted to attend the University of Southern California five years ago. A Geotechnical Engineer with 32 years of experience in Civil Engineering. Did Sabrina try out for the varsity team? Frank asked. Abdelaziz, a former Wynn Resorts executive, is accused of paying Singer $300,000 in 2018 to have his daughter admitted to USC as a fake basketball recruit, even though she didn't make her high . 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John Wilson, a private equity executive, is accused of paying $220,000 to get his son admitted to U.S.C. Attorney Brian Kelly said Abdelaziz never saw the girls phony athletic profile and never agreed to bribe anyone. 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Other parents convicted in the case have received far shorter sentences. [20][21], On March 29, 2019, Aziz appeared in court. Gamal Aziz also known as Gamal Aziz, is a businessman who belongs to the Egyptian-American ethnicity. He was most recently a reporter at The Lowell Sun. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Aziz is the former president of Wynn Macau Limited and chief operating officer of Wynn Resorts Development. The business executives John B. Wilson and Gamal Abdelaziz each received a long sentence, but in appeals, their lawyers say the key claim against them is legally flawed. Mr. Abdelaziz subsequently sent $300,000 to a foundation controlled by Mr. Singer, according to the documents. Wilsons lawyer told jurors that they may think Wilson was "nave" or "even foolish" to believe Singer when the admissions consultant told him that the the schools endorsed his so-called "side-door" business. The mastermind of this college admissions scheme, a college consultant named William Singer, and known as Rick, has already pleaded guilty to racketeering and other charges and cooperated with the government. Aziz confirmed that he would provide the same story if questioned. In December, the final parent in the bombshell Varsity Blues college admissions cheating scandal agreed to plead guilty. said in a statement that the trial is about whether these two remaining defendants committed a crime. And it has fought efforts by the defendants to get their hands on documents about its tracking of so-called V.I.P. A former casino executive was sentenced on Wednesday to a year and a day in prison for participating in a conspiracy to secure his daughters admission to the University of Southern California as a Division I basketball recruit even though she did not make the varsity team in high school, prosecutors said. Abdelaziz, a former casino executive from Las Vegas, is charged with paying $300,000 to get his daughter into the University of Southern California as a basketball recruit. Gamal Abdelaziz, left, and John Wilson. [6] In December 2015 Ecole htelire de Lausanne (EHL), a hotel and hospitality school, appointed him to its international advisory board. As part of the scheme, a co-conspirator created a basketball profile for his daughter, which included a photo of a different athlete and listed falsified awards and athletic honors. Dear Connections, As most of you know, we have faced with a very tragic, and crucial situation in my country. While not reporting, he enjoys long-distance running. If you got twins?". Legal Statement. [5], He held senior executive positions at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the Plaza Hotel in New York City, the Westin Hotel in Washington, D.C., and the St. Francis in San Francisco. No, said Sih, the prosecutions second witness in the high-profile trial in federal court in Boston. The defense lawyers portrayed the men as the victims of William Singer, known as Rick, who they say presented himself as a gifted admissions . Abdelaziz was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton to one year and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, 400 hours of community service and a fine of $250,000. Abdelaziz, of Las Vegas, is accused of paying $300,000 to the sham. as rowers. "Gamal Aziz jumps from MGM Hospitality to new post with Wynn", "Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint,", "Going from good to the MGM Grand; By ripping out its best-performing venues, Gamal Aziz has reinvented the MGM Grand - and pioneered a radical new growth strategy", "Suspect in college bribery case opened Las Vegas, Macau casinos", "Gamal Aziz, charged in college admissions scandal, worked for Wynn Resorts, helping to secure license for Encore Boston Harbor", "The Issue: Maintaining Employee Engagement; For CEO Gamal Aziz, the challenge is maintaining the MGM Grand's remarkable employee engagement during tough times for the hotel and for Las Vegas", MGM Resorts International Promotes Gamal Aziz to President and CEO of MGM Hospitality, "Nevada gaming executive indicted in college admissions and bribery scandal", "Gamal Aziz, President and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, appointed to Ecole htelire de Lausanne International Advisory Board", "Wynn stock trips after key Macau exec behind Palace departs", "Gamal Aziz; Chairman and CEO at Legacy Hospitality Group", "FBI accuses wealthy parents, including celebrities, in college-entrance bribery scheme", "Aziz helped plan Encore Boston Harbor; Now he's charged in college admissions scam", "The Latest: Parent charged in college case to fight charges", "Wealthy parents appear in court in college admissions scam", "Las Vegas suspects in college bribery case set for hearing in Boston", "The 1st Trial Is Kicking Off Over The 'Varsity Blues' College Admissions Scandal", "2 Parents Are Convicted in the Varsity Blues Admissions Trial", "Ex-gaming executive Aziz gets time in federal prison for college admission scam", "Parent in college bribery scandal gets year in prison", "Executive Interview: Gamal Aziz, President and CEO of MGM Hospitality", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gamal_Aziz&oldid=1093323195, Articles with dead external links from June 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Former President and Chief Operating Officer of, This page was last edited on 15 June 2022, at 21:39. Michael Bastedo, a professor of education at the University of Michigan, said that, since the charges were first brought in 2019, many colleges have tried to clean up their practices around athletic recruitment, creating greater accountability and ensuring that athletic officials dont have unchecked power over admissions. Wilson similarly worked withSinger beginning in 2013 to get his son into USC as a water-polo recruit, even though the dad worried that his boy would be a clear misfit at practice, court documents allege. He testified that he and his wife knowingly paid Singer so that the former college counselor could bribe school officials and secure his daughter a position at USC and UCLA as a soccer recruit even though she was not a competitiveplayer, by his own admission. Anyone can read what you share. 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After a four-week trial, Mr. Abdelaziz and Mr. Wilson were both found guilty in October of charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud. In day four of Varsity Blues trial, student, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), High school tournaments: Winchester stuns No. Abdelaziz in 2017 agreed to pay co-conspirator William Rick Singer the $300,000 bribe to secure the admission of his daughter to USC as a purported basketball recruit. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. so just a few months ago. When asked about other things on Sabrina Abdelazizs athletic profile, she also said, Its untrue that she was starting point guard or varsity captain.. The defense, if given the opportunity, may seize on those previous admissions. Now, prosecutors face the challenge of convincing a jury that two of the few remaining parents still fighting are guilty. These included recognition for being on the Beijing Junior National Team, Asia Pacific ActivitiesConference All Star Team, 2016 China Cup Champions, and the Hong Kong Academy team MVP. Aziz was based in Macau for the Wynn until his sudden resignation in late 2016. He took contemporaneous notes saying that federal agents were pressuring him to lie in recorded calls with parents, describing the payments they were making as bribes rather than donations. Gamal Aziz, also known as Gamal Abdelaziz, ( Arabic: ) (born 1957 or 1958) is an Egyptian-American businessman. Abdelaziz, a former casino executive from Las Vegas, is charged with paying $300,000 to get his daughter into the University of Southern California as a basketball recruit. During opening statements Monday, the defense lawyers for Gamal Abdelaziz and John Wilson made clear that their clients the first parents to face trial in the sprawling college admissions scandal would not be the only ones up for judgment. Mr. Wilson was also found guilty of additional fraud and bribery charges, and of filing a false tax return for taking a deduction for a payment that the government called a bribe. Laura Janke told a Boston federal jury that those children included the daughter of ex-casino executive Gamal Aziz, who is on trial with private equity firm founder John Wilson over charges. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Nazik is a senior employee of the family planning agency, and her husband, Dr. Hussein, is a gynecologist and obstetrician. I write and consult on federal criminal law and criminal justice. [5][7], Aziz was next president and chief operating officer of the 5,000-room, 10,000-employee resort MGM Grand, the largest hotel by rooms in the US, joining it in 2001. 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Wilson and another parent, Gamal Abdelaziz, who are the first to stand trial in the college admissions bribery scandal, used lies and money to steal coveted spots at prestigious schools their kids couldn't secure on their own, a prosecutor said Wednesday before jurors decide if the men are guilty. Singer has admitted toworking with parentsand others to rig rich kids college-entrance test scores and bribe coaches at schools such as USC and Yale University as part of the scheme. Thirty-three parents, and a number of coaches and other individuals, have already pleaded guilty to involvement in the scheme, which also involved cheating on admissions exams. Fox News Flash top headlines for October 7. Rick is a Massachusetts native and graduated from Boston University. 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Gamal Abdelaziz, a former casino executive, and John Wilson, a former Staples Inc. executive, were found guilty after about 10 hours of deliberations in the case that exposed a scheme to get . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. John Wilson, center, holds his wife's hand, right, as he departs federal court, in Boston, on Sept. 13. William Rick Singer, the so-called godfather behind the Varsity Blues scheme, is now cooperating with the government and has handed over emails and secret recordings he made of his dealings with parents. [2][6][12] In that position he helped finalize 27 hotel projects in leisure markets around the world. Prosecutors alleged that Aziz - a former Wynn Resorts Ltd (WYNN.O) executive also known as Gamal Abdelaziz - in 2018 paid $300,000 to secure his daughter's admission to the University of Southern California (USC) as a basketball recruit. basketball team. Abdelaziz, of Las Vegas, is accused of paying $300,000 to the sham charity run by the scheme's mastermind admissions consultant Rick Singer to get his daughter into USC as a basketball . Legal Analyst and Senior Sports Legal Reporter. US District Judge Nathaniel Gorton, who is presiding over the case, emphasized at a recent hearing that USC is not on trial.. Abdelaziz, for his part, pledged that if school officials called about his daughter, hed stick to the tall tale about an injured basketball player. More than three dozen parents in the college admissions scam case either pleaded guilty or were convicted following trial. . While not reporting, he enjoys long-distance running. In September 2018, Mr. Abdelazizs daughter enrolled at U.S.C., but she did not join the basketball team, prosecutors said. He is among nearly 60 people charged in "Operation Varsity Blues," and was one of the. The lawyers said they would introduce evidence showing that the athletic department solicited donations for years from applicants parents in exchange for preferential treatment in admissions and that their clients believed they were participating in an accepted, if unsavory, practice. If you got twins?". More than 50 people have been charged in the sprawling case, which was orchestrated, prosecutors said, by William Singer, a Newport Beach, Calif., businessman who has been cooperating with federal investigators since September 2018. Aziz, who worked at both Wynn and MGM is senior positions, is alleged to have conspired to bribe a senior associate athletic director at the University of Southern California, to designate his daughter as a recruit to the USC basketball team. The explosive Varsity Blues scandal has taken down Hollywood stars, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. There is no evidence, not even a hint, that John figured out Singers scam. Ex-Casino Executive Gets 1 Year and 1 Day in Prison in College Admissions Scheme, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/09/us/varsity-blues-sentence-gamal-abdelaziz.html. The actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were both sentenced to prison for their roles 14 days for Ms. Huffman, who admitted to conspiring to fraudulently inflate her daughters SAT score, and two months for Ms. Loughlin, who admitted to paying to get her two daughters into U.S.C. Mr. Bastedo added that he doesnt think people will feel like the system is changing even if theres some justice in these cases, he said. [1/3]Former Wynn Resorts executive Gamal Abdelaziz, also known as Gamal Aziz and charged with participating in a scheme to pay bribes to fraudulently secure the admission of his children to top schools, arrives at federal court for the first day of jury selection in the first trial to result from the U.S. college admissions scandal, which has resulted in dozens of celebrities, executives and coaches facing criminal charges, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., September 8, 2021. A federal jury in Boston found former casino executive Gamal Aziz and private equity firm founder John Wilson guilty on all charges they faced in a case centered on a vast, nationwide fraud and bribery scheme that involved many other parents. Former casino executive Gamal Abdelaziz was charged with paying $300,000 to get his daughter into the University of Southern California as a basketball recruit. [5][1][4] He earned a bachelor's degree in business at the University of Cairo. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Gamal Abdelaziz and John Wilson wanted a guarantee their kids would get into the school of their choice and agreed to use fraud and bribery to have them designated as athletic recruits to make that a reality, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Frank told jurors in his closing argument. The operations was known as Varsity Blues. (you can read all the gory details here). A federal trial determined that the investigation was misguided and all were found not guilty. Wynn is currently under review by the MGC to determine whether they are suitable to hold a gaming license after disclosure that they hid sexually harassment complaints levied agains their CEO and co-founder, Steve Wynn. ", John Wilson, center, holds his wife's hand, right, as he departs federal court, in Boston, on Sept. 13. Lawyers for the defendants said in a recent hearing that they planned to spotlight U.S.C.s admissions practices and its fund-raising efforts, particularly as they were intertwined in the athletics department. Mr. Abdelazizs lawyers had asked for a sentence of four months, saying he should be treated similarly to other parents in the case, whose sentences have ranged from home confinement to nine months in prison. The World's Online Gaming Authority Since 1995 Wilson allegedly paid more than $1 million for the arrangements. Prosecutors have said they dont intend to call Singer as a witness, though they have left openthe possibility. We've received your submission. [16], As of March 2019, Aziz was chairman and CEO of Legacy Hospitality Group since January 2017, according to his LinkedIn page. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). Gamal Abdelaziz, a former casino executive, is accused of paying $300,000 to get his daughter admitted to the U.S.C. At the hearing in Boston federal court, one of Mr. Wilsons lawyers, Michael Kendall, told the judge, Nathaniel M. Gorton, that the defense would present evidence that rebuts any thought that this is a fraud on U.S.C.. Turkey had declared the Fourth Level Alert Turkey had declared the Fourth Level Alert Mr. He then went on to run operations in Macau where hewas in charge of operations at the US$4.2 billion Wynn Palace hotel-casino resort on the Cotai Strip, which opened in August 2016. At issue are the parents conduct, U.S.C.s admissions practices and possibly the fairness of the college admissions process itself. Aziz then submitted falsified basketball profile which include exaggerated and altogether fabricated basketball credentials to submit to USC on his daughters behalf. Donna Heinel, then a senior associate athletic director, was bribed to present a fake profile of Abdelazizs daughter to an admissions subcommittee. Gamal Abdelaziz (known as 'Aziz"") was one of fifty people arrested who were part of a scheme to fake athletic accomplishments, ACT scores and academic records to get students into elite. More than three dozen parents in the college admissions scam case either pleaded guilty or were convicted following trial. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. All rights reserved. Judge Gorton was unpersuaded that USC wasnt tangibly hurt. Unfortunately for the 64-year-old Egyptian native, a jury convicted him of two charges that carry maximum sentences of 20 years and five years, respectively. 2023 Sportico Media, LLC. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. GamalAbdelaziz (known as Aziz") was one of fifty people arrested who were part of a scheme to fakeathleticaccomplishments, ACT scores and academic records to get students into elite universities across the country.