Former water polo coach trial delayed


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A court official confirmed Wednesday that the trial of Jovan Vavic, former USC men’s and women’s water polo head coach, will be delayed after the judge presiding the case contracted coronavirus.

A spokesperson for the United States Federal Court for the District of Massachusetts said in a statement to ESPN that Judge Indira Talwani tested positive for coronavirus and that the trial would be postponed until Monday.

USC dismissed Vavic in March 2019, soon after allegations surfaced naming him as a participant in William “Rick” Singer’s college admissions scheme, which, in turn, prompted federal investigations. Vavic pleaded not guilty to charges of federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud.

Prosecutors alleged Singer paid Vavic $250,000 “to a bank account at USC that funded VAVIC’s water polo team” and also “made private school tuition payments for VAVIC’s children” disguised as a fake scholarship, according to the indictment. In exchange for the money, Vavic designated the daughter of Agustin Huneeus, Jr., a vineyard owner in Napa, Calif., as a water polo recruit to increase her chances of admission to USC.

Singer allegedly bribed four USC Athletics staffers, including Vavic and former associate athletic director Donna Heinel. The former director was dismissed alongside Vavic. 

“On multiple occasions between 2014 and 2018, Singer’s clients made payments of more than 1.3 million to USC accounts controlled by [Heinel], typically an account for the USC Women’s Athletic Board,” court documents read. “Singer also entered into a sham consulting agreement with Heinel … in exchange for the bribe payments Heinel helped facilitate the admission of more than two dozen students as recruited athletes.” 

Singer’s USC clients include “Fuller House” actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, USC associate professor of dentistry Homayoun Zadeh, resort executive Gamal Abdelaziz and investment firm CEO Robert Zangrillo. Court documents alleged clients paid Singer to take such measures as faking profiles, doctoring photographs and fabricating admissions test scores to facilitate applications’ admission to USC. 

Vavic is one of more than 50 coaches and executives implicated in the FBI college admissions scandals investigation, named Operation Varsity Blues. More than 30 have been given sentences involving prison time, time under supervised release, community service and five-to-six figure fines.

The trial is expected to last four weeks once commencing.