The Rapper Son of Parents Arrested Over the College Admissions Scam Defends Them While Smoking Weed
A rapper, whose parents were among the dozens charged in an alleged college admissions cheating scam earlier this week, is speaking out in defense of his family.
On Thursday, Malcolm Abbott — also known as Billa B, son of Gregory and Marcia Abbott spoke to reporters, while smoking a blunt, about the scandal right outside of his Fifth Avenue apartment building in New York City.
Gregory is the founder and chairman of food and beverage distributor company, International Dispensing Corp.
“They’re blowing this whole thing out of proportion,” Malcolm told the New York Post, assumably in reference to the FBI.
“I believe everyone has a right to go to college, man.”
During the eccentric interview, Malcolm admitted, “I didn’t go to college,” and tried to promote his latest CD.
“Check out my CD, Cheese and Crackers,” Malcolm said of the project, which features a song titled “If I Lost My Money.”
Malcolm’s brother previously spoke to the Post explaining his parents “got roped into [this by] some guy who f—— cheated them.”
Federal court records unsealed in Boston name 50 people who have been indicted as part of the alleged nationwide scheme involving elite college and universities including Yale, Georgetown, the University of Southern California and Stanford, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
“High School Villain” ??????? ????: @chrispinset #BillYouL8R
A post shared by Billa ????????? (@infamousbilla) on Feb 22, 2019 at 10:56am PST
“Dozens of individuals involved in a nationwide conspiracy that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities as purported athletic recruits were arrested by federal agents in multiple states and charged in documents unsealed on March 12, 2019, in federal court in Boston,” the release says.
Athletic coaches from Yale, Stanford, USC, Wake Forest and Georgetown, were also implicated.
Both Gregory and Marcia have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
The parents are accused of paying owner of the Key Worldwide Foundation and Edge College & Career Network William Rick Singer $125,000 to have a proctor overseeing their daughter’s ACT “correct her answers after she had completed it,” according to court documents.
The Abbotts’ daughter received a score of 35 out of 36 on the ACT, according to court documents.
Both parents were released on a $500,000 bond and are set to appear in court again on March 29.
High-profile actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were also charged.
On Wednesday, Loughlin, 54, appeared before a judge — just hours after she was taken into custody.
The Full House star made her first appearance in federal court in Los Angeles where a judge set her bond at $1 million, according to the Associated Press. The actress faces a felony charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
Loughlin is permitted to travel to British Columbia, where she has filming projects in Vancouver, but must surrender her passport in December.
RELATED: Everyone Who Has Been Charged in the College Admissions Cheating Scandal
An attorney for Loughlin did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. A representative for Loughlin had no comment.
The mother of two and husband, Mossimo founder Mossimo Giannullia allegedly gave $500,000 to get a coach to say her daughter Olivia Jade was part of the rowing team when that was not true, the indictment states.
The couple’s 19-year-old daughter, who is a freshman, is not currently listed on the USC women’s rowing roster.
RELATED: Dean Norris Slams Parents in College Admissions Scandal: ‘I Got into Harvard’ Through ‘Hard Work’
Giannulli appeared in federal court on Tuesday and was released after posting a $1 million bond.
Huffman, 56, allegedly gave $15,000 “to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter,” the indictment states. Huffman was charged by federal prosecutors with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud and arrested on Tuesday. She was released on a $250,000 bond.
She was also ordered to hand over her passport.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Huffman’s husband William H. Macy remained by her side. As the judge read off the charges against his wife, Macy, 69, reportedly sat with his head down around families of other defendants, according to Deadline.
Macy was not charged in the scandal, the Shameless star is instead identified only as “her spouse” in the document.
The actresses’ next preliminary hearings are scheduled for March 29 at a Boston court.
