Liquor distribution exec sentenced to prison in college scam

BOSTON (AP) — The chief executive of a California liquor distribution company who authorities say paid $500,000 to get her son into college as a bogus athletic recruit was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment on Thursday. Marci Palatella was sentenced in Boston federal court after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. She was accused of paying $500,000 to get her son into the University of Southern California as a football recruit even though he wouldn’t really play on the team. Palatella was among 50 parents, athletic coaches and others charged in the case in 2019.