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Law360 (February 16, 2021, 7:01 PM EST) -- Two sets of parents charged with involvement in the "Varsity Blues" college admissions scandal will have their cases rejoined for one trial in September, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, citing "optimistic anticipation" that a trial at that time will be safe.
After a group of parents scheduled for an April trial requested a delay because of the pandemic, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton granted the request but decided they'll rejoin another group of parents already slated for a September trial.
The judge said the decision was "for the sake of judicial economy" and to wrap up an aging case in which indictments came down in early 2019.
Judge Gorton noted his "optimistic anticipation that, by September 2021, the current pandemic will be sufficiently abated to permit the conduct of a multi-defendant trial" in Boston's federal courthouse.
The group of parents initially set for trial in April told the judge last month of their worry regarding increasing COVID-19 case counts and the spread of more-contagious variants. Current pandemic conditions make trial preparation unsafe, they said.
The parents in the case are accused of paying bribes to get their children into elite colleges, falsely passing their children off as athletic recruits by sending payments to school officials through the scheme's mastermind William "Rick" Singer.
A separate November trial is set to try charges against three university coaches and one athletics administrator.
The sprawling college admissions scandal includes parents, like actress Lori Loughlin, who have pled guilty to paying bribes to get their kids into elite schools, a "course taker" who pled guilty to taking online courses for high school students and crafting fake athletic profiles, and elite athletics coaches who have been accused of knowing involvement.
Representatives for the parties were not immediately available for comment.
The government is represented by Justin O'Connell, Karin Bell and Kristen Kearney of the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Massachusetts.
The parents are represented by Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, Keller Anderle LLP, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, and Hooper Lundy & Bookman PC.
The cases are U.S. v. Colburn et al., case number 1:19-cr-10080, and U.S. v. Ernst et al., case number 1:19-cr-10081, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
--Additional reporting by Melissa Angell, Dave Simpson and Brian Dowling. Editing by Regan Estes.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
