Felicity Huffman Pleads Guilty to College Admissions Fraud

Actress Felicity Huffman entered a guilty plea in federal court in Boston on Monday, accepting responsibility for paying a $15,000 bribe to boost her daughter’s SAT score.

“I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions,” Huffman said in a statement in April.

Huffman paid admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer in order to have her daughter take the exam at the West Hollywood Test Center, which Singer controlled. Singer has admitted that he paid “proctors” to correct wrong answers on students’ tests or take the exam in their place. Huffman’s husband, actor William H. Macy, is also said to have agreed to the arrangement, though he was not charged in the case. The couple also considered using Singer’s services for their younger daughter, but ultimately opted not to, according to a criminal complaint.

Actress Lori Loughlin is also accused of hiring Singer, though the charges against her are more serious. According to an indictment, Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, paid Singer $500,000 to establish false athletic profiles for their two daughters. The girls were admitted to USC as members of the crew team, though they did not participate in the sport.

Loughlin and Giannulli were among the parents who did not plead guilty initially, and now face an indictment for money laundering in addition to the original fraud charge.

Source: Read Full Article