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Felicity Huffman Pleads Guilty in College Admissions Scandal

Source: The Hollywood Reporter:::
May 13, 2019 at 15:23
Paul Marotta/Getty Images / Felicity Huffman
Paul Marotta/Getty Images / Felicity Huffman

In exchange for the actress' plea, prosecutors reportedly agreed to recommend the low-end of the sentencing guidelines.

Felicity Huffman on Monday pleaded guilty in Boston federal court to a charge brought against her in the nationwide college admissions scandal, according to multiple reports from those who attended the hearing.

In April, the actress announced her intention to cop to the accusation she paid to improve her daughter's score on college standardized tests, thus that she would plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail.

She will be sentenced at a later date. In exchange for Huffman's plea, prosecutors reportedly recommend to the judge the low-end of the sentencing guidelines for the crime, four months of incarceration.

"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," the actress said in her April statement. "I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. I want to apologize to them and, especially, I want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices to support their children and do so honestly."

Huffman was among 13 parents who agreed to plead guilty in what federal investigators dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. He husband, actor William H. Macy, was never a part of the federal indictment. 

Fellow actress Lori Loughlin was also ensnared in the investigation. She and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, are among 17 parents who pleaded not guilty. 

Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the University of Southern California's crew team — even though they did not participate in crew — thereby guaranteeing their admission in the college, according to court documents. 

The two were separately charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. They are out on separate $1 million bonds. 

After the scandal broke, Andrew Lelling with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, said authorities did not believe any college was a "co-conspirator" in the scam. No students have been charged. 

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