Felicity Huffman, Lori Laughlin, CEOs, Coaches And More Charged In Alleged College Admissions Scam
What scandal could even be more Desperate Housewives??
The U.S. Attorneys Office broke down the alleged scheme during a news conference … and named William Rick Singer as the ringleader. They say he created a fake non-profit, charitable foundation which served as front to launder the payments from parents.
The feds said most parents paid between $200k and $400k for Singer’s help. Some payments apparently went as high as $6.5 million. All told, they say investigators uncovered about $25 million in bribes.
Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were charged along with nearly 50 other people Tuesday in a scheme in which wealthy parents bribed college coaches and insiders at testing centers to help get their children into some of the most elite schools in the country, federal prosecutors said.
“These parents are a catalog of wealth and privilege,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in announcing the $25 million federal bribery case.
He called it the biggest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the U.S. Justice Department.
At least nine athletic coaches and dozens of parents were among those charged. A total of 46 people were arrested by midday, including Huffman and Loughlin, in an investigation dubbed Operation Varsity Blues, federal authorities said.
No students were charged. Authorities said in many cases the students were not aware of the fraud.
Loughlin appeared in the ABC sitcom “Full House,” and Huffman starred in ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.” Both were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
This will continue to be investigated.
