Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin, Dozens More Indicted in College Scam
TV actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin along with 48 others were charged in a nationwide bribery scam involving elite American colleges. Court documents unsealed on March 12 alleged that the individuals were involved in a nationwide conspiracy to facilitate cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities, including Yale and Stanford.
“Dozens of individuals involved in a nationwide conspiracy that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities as purported athletic recruits were arrested by federal agents in multiple states and charged in documents unsealed on March 12, 2019, in federal court in Boston,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.
Loughlin allegedly gave $500,000 to say that her child was part of the rowing team when it wasn’t true, People magazine reported. Meanwhile, Huffman is accused of giving $15,000 to “to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter,” it was reported. Some named in the documents allegedly paid as much as $6 million to get their kids to elite universities, which also include UCLA, Georgetown, the University of Southern California, University of San Diego, University of Texas, and Wake Forest.
The alleged scheme also helped high school athletes get into high-level colleges despite their abilities, said the U.S attorney’s office. Loughlin is best known for her role as Aunt Becky in “Full House” while Huffman is known for her role on “Desperate Housewives.” Huffman’s spouse is longtime actor William H. Macy, but he wasn’t indicted. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a March 12 live news conference that “there can be no separate college admission system for the wealthy and there will not be a separate criminal justice system either.” “We’re not talking about donating a building so a school is more likely to take your son or daughter, we’re talking about deception or fraud,” he added.
The Hollywood Reporter obtained court documents in the case, saying that arrests warrants have been issued for parents. It also said that Huffman and Macy were both accused of disguising a $15,000 charitable payment in the bribery scheme, adding that Macy wasn’t named. It didn’t elaborate on why he wasn’t. Federal prosecutors in Boston charged William “Rick” Singer, 58, with running the racketeering scheme through his Edge College & Career Network, which served a roster of clients including chief executives and Hollywood actresses, Reuters reported.
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