Three more wealthy parents accused in the nationwide college-admissions scandal have pleaded guilty to charges that they paid bribes to increase their children’s standardized test scores. Gregory and Marcia Abbott and Peter Jan Sartorio each pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. The felony charge carries up to 20 years in prison, according to federal prosecutors. The Abbotts are accused of paying $125,000 to pad their daughter’s ACT score, giving her a 12-point boost. After they were indicted in March, their son Malcolm came to their defense outside the family’s house—while smoking a blunt. “They’re blowing this whole thing out of proportion,” he said at the time. “I believe everyone has a right to go to college, man.” Sartorio allegedly paid $15,000 in cash to boost his daughter’s ACT score by nine points.
#BREAKING: Gregory Abbott, Marcia Abbott and Peter Jan Sartorio plead guilty in connection with the #CollegeAdmissionsScandal in federal court in Boston
