The son of two parents who pleaded guilty in the wide-reaching college admissions scam was arrested and charged with felony assault following an alleged altercation with his father, according to two law enforcement sources.
Malcolm Abbott allegedly “struck his father with a ruler and punched and kicked him” on May 19 outside a Fifth Avenue residence in New York City, a New York Police Department spokesperson said. Abbott was gone by the time police arrived, but was subsequently arrested on May 21.
The NYPD did not say whether Abbott was the son of the parents accused in the admissions scheme, but the two law enforcement sources confirmed he was the son of Gregory and Marcia Abbott, who pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in connection to the admissions scandal.
Gregory Abbott is the founder and chairman of a food and beverage packaging company.
According to one of the sources, Malcolm Abbott also bit his father, who refused medical attention. Malcolm Abbott is set to appear in court on Friday, according to court records. CNN has reached out to the Legal Aid Society, which is representing the son.
According to prosecutors, the Abbotts paid William Rick Singer, the scam’s mastermind, $125,000 in purported donations to his foundation to get their daughter higher test scores on the ACT and SAT exams. Her answers were corrected by Mark Riddell, who has pleaded guilty for his role in the scandal.
As part of their plea agreements, prosecutors recommended the Abbotts serve 12 months and one day in prison.
An attorney for Gregory Abbott would not comment on nor confirm the arrest. CNN also reached out to an attorney for Marcia Abbott.