Massachusetts executive John Wilson, who was cleared of fraud and bribery charges in a college admissions scandal, is suing Netflix over a documentary that he says defamed him and his children. Wilson, who was accused of paying over $1.2 million to secure admission for his children into top schools, had his convictions thrown out on successful appeals last year. He claims Netflix portrayed him and his children falsely in the documentary “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admission Scandal.” The lawsuit alleges that the documentary inaccurately depicted his son as a fake water polo athlete trying to gain admission to USC, despite his legitimate qualifications.
Wilson’s attorneys argue that he made only legitimate charitable donations and his children were highly qualified applicants. The lawsuit claims that Netflix ignored evidence provided by Wilson and misrepresented facts, tarnishing his reputation and causing harm to his family. Despite upholding Wilson’s conviction on a tax filing charge and imposing a $75,000 fine, an appellate court overturned his fraud and bribery convictions.
The “Varsity Blues” scandal, which involved several high-profile figures including celebrities like Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, sent shockwaves through the college admissions process. The mastermind behind the scheme, Rick Singer, received a 42-month prison sentence for his role in the fraud. Netflix has not commented on the lawsuit.
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