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Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin Indicted in Alleged College Admissions Cheating Scandal

Published

7 years ago

March 12, 2019

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on March 12, 2019 shows US actress Felicity Huffman(L) attending the Showtime Emmy Eve Nominees Celebration in Los Angeles on September 16, 2018 and actress Lori Loughlin arriving at the People's Choice Awards 2017 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, on January 18, 2017. - Two Hollywood actresses including Oscar-nominated "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman are among 50 people indicted in a nationwide university admissions scam, court records unsealed in Boston on March 12, 2019 showed. The accused, who also include chief executives, allegedly cheated to get their children into elite schools, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California, federal prosecutors said.Huffman, 56, and Lori Loughlin, 54, who starred in "Full House," are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. (Photos by LISA O'CONNOR and Tommaso Boddi / AFP) (Photo credit should read LISA O'CONNOR,TOMMASO BODDI/AFP/Getty Images)

Actresses and moms Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are just two of about 50 wealthy people who have been indicted and are facing legal charges in an alleged nationwide college admissions cheating scandal, multiple outlets began reporting on Tuesday, March 12.

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According to court documents obtained by ABC News, Felicity — who is a mom to daughters Sofia Grace Macy, 18, and Georgia Grace Macy, 16, with famous husband William H. Macy — allegedly “made a purported charitable contribution of $15,000 … to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her eldest daughter.” The documents also alleged that the 56-year-old Desperate Housewives star “later made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time, for her younger daughter, before deciding not to do so.”

As for Lori, 54, the actress — who is a mom to two daughters, Isabella Rose Giannulli, 20, and Olivia Jade Giannulli, 19, with fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli — allegedly “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”

At the time of this story’s publication, Felicity had been arrested and remains in custody. Her initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Lori, who is thought to be filming a new Hallmark Channel movie in Vancouver, Canada, had yet to be taken into custody but there is currently a warrant out for her arrest. Lori has reportedly been contacted by federal authorities and was told to turn herself in.

Lori Loughlin Daughters

Overall, this scandal, reportedly dubbed “Varsity Blues,” is the largest college admissions cheating scam ever prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice, federal officials revealed on Tuesday. According to ABC News, those involved allegedly paid bribes up to $6 million to have their children accepted into elite universities including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California.

“This case is about the widening corruption of elite college admissions through the steady application of wealth combined with fraud,” Andrew Lelling, the U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said at a news conference this week.

This story is developing …