Actress Felicity Huffman is set to plead guilty (making good on her previous statement) for her role in the nation’s largest-ever college admissions scandal, dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. The Desperate Housewives star is expected to admit to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Huffman reportedly handed over $15,000 to a fake charity led by Rick Singer, the organizer of the scheme, to have someone “correct her daughter’s SAT college entrance exam answers,” according to Reuters. They also, CNN adds, “exchanged emails on how to get extra time for her daughter’s SAT exam, the complaint says, and arranged for the girl to take the test in a location controlled by an administrator whom Singer had bribed.” Huffman’s husband, fellow Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy, has not been charged in the case.
“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 a 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.” In exchange for her plea, it’s expected that the Justice Department will recommend the “low-end” of sentencing for Huffman, possibly between four to ten months of prison time and a fine.
Meanwhile, Lori Loughlin is still out there, claiming that she’s very not guilty.
Felicity Huffman is expected to plead guilty today to paying $15,000 to a fake charity that facilitated cheating for her daughter's SATs. The "Desperate Housewives" star could receive up to 20 years in prison. https://t.co/KvDgvfwFNk pic.twitter.com/HoHO5fv7c0
— CNN (@CNN) May 13, 2019
