Actress among 13 admitting guilt in college scam
Print Edition
鈥淒esperate Housewives鈥 star Felicity Huffman and a dozen other prominent parents have agreed to plead guilty in the college admissions bribery scam that ensnared wealthy families and athletic coaches at some of the most selective universities in the US, federal authorities said on Monday.
The actress and the other parents were charged last month in the scheme, which authorities say involved rigging standardized test scores and bribing coaches at such prestigious schools as Yale and Georgetown.
Huffman, 56, was accused of paying a consultant US$15,000 disguised as a charitable donation to boost her daughter鈥檚 SAT score. Authorities say the actress also discussed going through with the same plan for her younger daughter but ultimately decided not to.
She will plead guilty to a single charge of conspiracy and fraud, according to court documents. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but the plea agreement indicates prosecutors will seek a sentence of four to 10 months. Experts have said they expect some parents will avoid prison time if they quickly accept responsibility.
All of the defendants will have to return to Boston to enter formal guilty pleas, but no new court dates were set. Other parents charged include prominent figures in law, finance, and fashion. It鈥檚 the biggest college admissions case ever prosecuted by the Justice Department.
The scandal embroiled elite universities across the country and laid bare the lengths to which parents will go to secure their children a coveted spot.
The consultant, Rick Singer, met with Huffman and her husband, 69-year-old actor William H. Macy, at their Los Angeles home and explained to them that he 鈥渃ontrolled鈥 a testing center and could have somebody secretly change their daughter鈥檚 answers, authorities said.
Singer told investigators Huffman and her husband agreed to the plan. Macy was not charged. Authorities have not said why.
In a statement offering her first public comments since her arrest, Huffman apologized, took responsibility for her actions and said she would accept the consequences.
鈥淢y daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her. This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty,鈥 she said.
The streaming service Netflix said on Monday that the April 26 release date of a film starring Huffman, called 鈥淥therhood,鈥 will be moved with a new release date to be determined.
Actress Lori Loughlin, who played Aunt Becky on the sitcom 鈥淔ull House,鈥 and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are charged with paying US$500,000 in bribes to get their two daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as rowing recruits, even though neither participated in the sport.
They were not among those who agreed to plead guilty, and they have not publicly addressed the allegations. Loughlin and Giannulli may be hoping they can get a better deal once the media attention dies down, said former prosecutor Adam Citron.
They are also accused of paying much more than Huffman and some other parents, which would call for stiffer penalties under the sentencing guidelines.
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