An exonerated Varsity Blues dad is fighting back.

John Wilson has just won a court battle with Netflix. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court refused to dismiss his defamation suit against the video streaming giant.

The fair report privilege is at play, with Netflix claiming it is protected by the legal precedent in airing the 2021 documentary “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal.”

A single justice of the SJC wrote the argument to drop the case wasn’t strong enough.

“The motion to dismiss is DENIED,” the ruling states, adding that the arguments to toss are too weak at this “stage” in the blockbuster lawsuit.

“I applaud the Massachusetts Superior Court. This decision marks a turning point in how we view media responsibility, especially Big Media,” said William Charles Tanenbaum, lead attorney for the Wilsons. “The court has made it clear that Netflix, and, by extension, other Big Media companies, cannot simply insulate themselves by claiming the fair report privilege when they knowingly misrepresent facts and cause harm to individuals.”

Netflix directed all comments to corporate contacts who could not immediately be reached for comment.

Wilson, of Lynnfield, and his son, Johnny, filed the complaint in Barnstable Superior Court alleging the entertainment company and its producers defamed them in the documentary.

Federal prosecutors alleged and convicted Wilson on a charge that he paid more than $1.2 million to secure his children’s admissions to elite universities — Harvard University, the University of Southern California, and Stanford University — as athletic recruits.

But the Wilsons and Tanenbaum say none of Netflix’s depictions of the family are accurate and that the company “rushed” the production of the documentary, “poisoning public opinion and the jury pool months before Mr. Wilson’s trial even began.”

Wilson in February 2022 was sentenced in federal court in Boston to 15 months in prison — the largest penalty leveled in the case that swept up at least 50 defendants, including Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and former “Full House” star Lori Laughlin.

Last May, the First Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Wilson’s admissions scam conviction. Months later, the prison sentencing was replaced by a year of probation involving a single tax-related charge that Wilson faced.

Wilson’s legal team is alleged to have provided Netflix a 450-plus page “written warning”  before the documentary’s publication outlining the concerns the family had about the film, suggesting the company avoid “guilt-by-association or including any falsehoods.”

“Netflix willingly chose to group my highly qualified children and me into a scandal involving celebrities who, unlike me, pled guilty and acknowledged their roles in shameful actions like photoshopping images of fake athletes, cheating on tests and making bribe payments to coaches,” Wilson said in a statement.

His son, according to court papers, was both an excellent student and water polo player who earned his place at USC legitimately.

“Viewers could reasonably interpret” the documentary suggested otherwise. This case continues.

As we enter the homestretch of the 2024 regular season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping to make a last-second push for one of the Wild Card spots in the National League. They fell in a big hole thanks to a 10-game losing streak, but have turned their fortunes around recently, winning two of their last three series including taking three-of-four from the Cincinnati Reds.

And now, more help is on the way. Monday afternoon, the team announced that rookie right-hander Jared Jones is scheduled to make his next start on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. This will set up a Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, Paul Skenes rotation the rest of the way out with Bailey Falter and Luis Ortiz to follow.

Jones last pitched on July 3rd against the St. Louis Cardinals where he went five innings, allowing just one earned run. His pitch count for the night was at 78, so he probably had another inning or so in him but was pulled due to a right lat strain. It was later determined to be a Grade 2 strain, which landed him on the injured list.

In three rehab starts with Triple-A Indianapolis, Jones allowed six runs in eleven innings giving him an ERA of 4.91. His last time out, Jones struck out ten batters with only two Columbus Clippers reaching base (one hit, one walk).

Jones began the season as one of the best rookie pitchers in baseball having one of the best whiff rates in the league. The deeper he got into the season, teams started jumping on the fastball early in counts and the whiff rate dropped significantly. He’s a big piece of the Pirates future, so finishing the year strong, but healthy will be critical.

Tonight, the Pirates will send out Mitch Keller for game one against the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EST.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates

CONNECTICUT — The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection is warning members of the public about a new scam that appears to be targeting Eversource Energy customers.

United Illuminating customers should be aware of and prepared for similar tactics, officials said.

“Scammers know you may be trying to save money on your utility bill and are looking for every opportunity to take advantage of you,” DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said. “If you receive an unsolicited phone call from your utility company offering a deal that seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Scammers are constantly changing their tactics to take advantage of unsuspecting customers and in this case they’re offering a fake special rate discount for seniors, according to Jared Lawrence, Eversource’s Senior Vice President for Customer Operations and Digital Strategy.

He added, “We remind customers, if they get a call or text and something doesn’t seem right – don’t panic and don’t pay or give any personal information – and if you ever doubt who you’re talking to is legitimate, hang up and give us a call at 800-286-2000.”

Added IU President and CEO Frank Reynolds, “It is deeply unfortunate that scammers would try to take advantage of our customers, particularly our elderly customers, to steal their identities and financial information. While this scam attempt appears to be primarily targeting those in the Eversource service area at this time, we urge our customers to stay vigilant. If you receive any expected call or text from someone claiming to be with UI, please don’t hesitate to hang up and call us at the number found on your UI bill: 1-800-722-5584. Our Customer Service Representatives are always here to help and to answer any questions you may have about your electric bill.”

State officials offered tips on how the scam works:

• Scammers are calling Eversource and United Illuminating customers, pretending to represent the electric companies.
• The imposter offers a “rate discount” for elderly residents.
• The scammer then asks for personal information such as your name, birth date, and account number, as well as payment information, in order to access the discount.
• The discount does not exist, and providing personal information could result in identity theft as well as “financial” theft.

Officials also offered tips on what to do:

• Anyone receiving an unsolicited phone call from someone claiming to be an Eversource or United Illuminating employee should hang up.
• Those with questions can call the phone number listed on any bill or report the scam attempt to the Department of Consumer Protection at ct.gov/DCP/Complaint.

If scammed, victims “should not be ashamed” and contact their respective financial institutions to freeze your accounts, as well as one of the three major credit reporting agencies.

They can also:

Eversource and UI officials said representatives do not require the use of prepaid debit cards, such as Green Dot MoneyPak, Vanilla, or Reloadit. They will also never ask customers to pay using a Bitcoin ATM or a gift card. A customer is never required to provide a form of payment to Eversource or United Illuminating when switching rates.

They added:

• Eversource and UI representatives never request customers to meet at a department or grocery store to make a payment.
• Customers should never provide personal, financial, or account information to any unsolicited person on the phone, at the door, or online, even if they seem legitimate.
• Eversource and UI do not solicit door-to-door or on the phone on behalf of third-party energy suppliers.
• All Eversource and UI employees carry photo identification.
• Field workers wear clothing with the company logo and drive company vehicles.
• Customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice that includes information on how to maintain their service.
• Customers who doubt a call, in-person interaction, text, or email is legitimate should call their electric company directly to confirm the authenticity of the contact.
• Customers should not search for their utility company’s phone number or website through a search engine. You can find contact information, including the website, on your bill.