Felicity Huffman Pleads Guilty in University Corruption Scandal: NPR

The actress Felicity Huffman, known for her role in Desperate housewives, cried in federal court in Boston today, while she pleaded guilty to a ploy aimed at improving her daughter's SAT scores.

Huffman is one of the dozens of people charged with conspiracy and corruption involving wealthy parents, corrupt university coaches, test supervisors, and academic consultants.

Huffman looked straight ahead, ignoring the phalanx of reporters and cameras as she entered the courthouse to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit postal fraud and honest service fraud. Inside, she cried while explaining to the judge that her daughter knew nothing of the scam to inflate her results, and that the steps her daughter took to spend more time testing were legitimate.

"All the rest" prosecutors accused her of having done, she said, "I did it".

This includes paying $ 15,000 for someone to correct the wrong answers from her daughter once she has passed the test. The person who made the corrections also pleaded guilty, while the examination supervisor who would have allowed him, pleaded not guilty.

Huffman hopes that his unequivocal guilty plea and excuses will allow him to obtain some leniency when sentencing. In a statement released last month, she accepted "the entire responsibility of [her] actions "and expressed" deep regret and shame, "she added. I would like to apologize to hardworking students every day for entering the university and their parents who are making huge sacrifices to support their children and do it honestly. "

Prosecutors recommend fines of $ 20,000 and a four-month prison term. Huffman could end up serving even less, and perhaps in a halfway house.

Water Polo Rookie

Another parent who pleaded guilty today, Los Angeles businessman, Devin Sloane, is at risk of serving a longer sentence. He paid out $ 250,000 in bribes, disguised as charitable donations, to recruit his son into the water polo team of the University of Southern California, even though his son n & # 39; He has never been a competitive player.

Sloane bought water polo material on Amazon, including a balloon and cap, that the student could wear during a photo shoot, which would then be falsified to make it look like he was in the water during a match.

When guidance counselors became suspicious, arrangements were made for a USC conspirator to allay his concerns by informing the USC director that his son had participated in the meetings. Summer water polo tournaments in Greece, Serbia and Portugal as "player of the perimeter of attack".

In the Sloane case, prosecutors recommend one year in jail and $ 75,000 fine.

Plead not guilty

The other defendants, including Hollywood star Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, plead not guilty and defend themselves.

Some take the position they did not think they would commit, but hoped to win the case, despite the overwhelming evidence against them. Prosecutors have amassed a mass of financial records and recorded phone calls between parents and with the brain of strategist, William "Rick" Singer.

These parents could still change their pleas into guilt, but after refusing to plead earlier, prosecutors accused them of a second charge of conspiracy to launder money. They are therefore sentenced to heavier sentences.

In the meantime, the investigation continues to develop. From the beginning, prosecutors said that it was the visible part of the iceberg. And many nerves are put to the test because everyone is waiting for the other shoes to fall. For example, a $ 6.5 million payment to Singer has not yet resulted in charges. In addition, lawyers say that some students are currently facing charges.

Perhaps the government could get help to identify new conspirators among the accused who are now working as cooperating witnesses. Those who cooperate can also help prosecutors strengthen their actions against existing defendants.

Prosecutors know that any defense strategy will be to attack Singer's credibility in the trial, portraying him as a known liar, willing to say anything that would allow him to be lenient with regard to his sentence. Therefore, asking other people to corroborate the testimony of Singers would be helpful.