Appeals Court Overturns Convictions of Two Parents in ‘Varsity Blues’ Admissions Scandal

A federal appeals court on Wednesday overturned convictions of two parents accused of paying bribes to secure their children’s admissions to college as athletic recruits. The convictions had been tied to a scheme nicknamed “Operation Varsity Blues” that resulted in dozens of convictions of wealthy parents, athletic officials and others who participated, and sparked scrutiny over the influence of money on the competitive world of elite college admissions.