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Students file lawsuit against colleges in bribery scandal

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2017 file photo, actress Lori Loughlin, center, poses with her daughters Bella, left, and Olivia Jade at the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles. The FBI says actress Lori Loughlin has been taken into custody in connection with a scheme in which wealthy parents paid bribes to get their children into top colleges. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Loughlin was in custody Wednesday morning in Los Angeles. She is scheduled to appear in court there in the afternoon. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

SAN FRANCISCO — Two college students have filed a lawsuit against the University of Southern California, Yale University and other colleges where prosecutors say parents paid bribes to ensure their children’s admission.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco and alleges the students were denied a fair opportunity for admission.

Erica Olsen and Kalea Woods say they were denied a fair opportunity to apply to Yale and USC.

They say the alleged scheme allowed “unqualified students” to be admitted to “highly selective universities.”

The lawsuit also named the University of California, Los Angeles, Wake Forest, Georgetown University and others.

More than 50 people were charged earlier this week.

Prosecutors have said wealthy parents paid to rig standardized scores and bribed sports coaches to get their children into elite universities.

The Associated Press