College Scam Dad Is Pardoned by Trump Over $50,000 Bribe

(Bloomberg) -- A Miami venture capitalist caught up in the biggest U.S. crackdown on college-admissions cheating was pardoned by President Donald Trump, becoming the only one of about three dozen parents charged in the scam to escape prosecution.

Robert Zangrillo, the founder of Dragon Global Management, was accused of conspiring to bribe university officials to help his daughter gain admission to the University of Southern California. While many parents pleaded guilty, Zangrillo was part of a smaller group fighting charges in a case prosecutors dubbed “Varsity Blues,” and his trial was scheduled for September in Boston.

Zangrillo was accused of paying a $50,000 bribe to USC’s athletics department and a $200,000 donation to a bogus charity. He was caught on tape arranging for another person to secretly take classes for his daughter and make it appear as if she was an accomplished rower, boosting her chances of gaining admission as an athlete, according to the indictment.

Before leaving office on Wednesday, Trump, in a statement, called Zangrillo a “well-respected businessman and philanthropist” and insisted that Zangrillo’s daughter “did not have others take standardized tests for her and she is currently earning a 3.9 GPA at the University of Southern California.”

Pardon Backers?

The pardon was supported by billionaire Len Blavatnik, developer Geoff Palmer, former Facebook Inc. President Sean Parker and longtime Trump friend Thomas Barrack Jr., the White House said in a statement. A spokesman for Barrack, an alumnus and trustee of USC, denied he had any involvement in seeking the pardon for Zangrillo, according to the Los Angeles Times. A spokeswoman for Parker said he did not know Zangrillo and did not make any request for a pardon on his behalf.

Martin Weinberg, the lawyer for Zangrillo, confirmed his client had received a pardon and declined further comment.

“The pardon of Robert Zangrillo, who is charged with bribery and fraud, including having his own daughter knowingly participate in a scheme to lie to USC about her accomplishments and grades, illustrates precisely why Operation Varsity Blues was necessary in the first place,” Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, whose office is prosecuting the case, said in a statement. “It is the highest calling of the criminal justice system to hold all people equally to account, regardless of wealth or privilege.”

The pardon means Zangrillo won’t face a federal trial in September with three other parents accused of paying bribes to get their children into USC. More than 50 people have been charged with participating in the scheme led by college counselor William “Rick” Singer, who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with authorities. More than two dozen parents have also pleaded guilty. Fifteen people are fighting the charges, Lelling’s office said.

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