Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin have arrived at federal court to make their first appearances in front of a judge, charged with participating in the largest college admissions fraud in US history.
Huffman arrived to court three hours early without her husband William H Macy, who has not been charged, and instead holding hands with her brother. Loughlin also arrived without her husband Mossimo Giannulli, who is also charged.
The actresses are by far the biggest names among the 50 coaches, test administrators and parents to have been ensnared in the sensational college admissions scandal uncovered by Operation Varsity Blues.
Moments before women were due to make their first appearance court, a parent due to appear alongside them filed a motion indicating he intended to plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Peter Sartorio, 53, is the first of the 33 parents ensnared in Operation Varsity Blues to do so and has had his appearance delayed until the end of the month as a result. The packaged food entrepreneur paid $15,000 in cash to have a corrupt proctor take his daughter’s ACT in June 2017.
Huffman and Loughlin stand accused of participating in the scheme that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the bribing of corrupt coaches and college administrators to falsely designate applicants as athletes.
They have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. Each crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.
Any plea they enter would likely come with a recommendation by prosecutors that both actresses serve some time behind bars, a source connected to the prosecution tells TMZ.
'You can't have people being treated differently because they have money. That's how we got to this place. Every defendant will be treated the same,' they say.
Felicity Huffman arrived to court Wednesday to face charges of wire fraud, holding hands with her brother Moore Huffman Jr. Her husband William H Macy was not present and is not charged
Lori Loughlin arrived to her first appearance in federal court Wednesday after being accused of spending $500,000 to get her two daughters into USC
A total of fifteen parents, including Huffman and Loughlin, will make their first court appearances this afternoon.
Between them they stand accused of throwing down more than $3.3 million to get their kids in the 'side door' to some of the most prestigious universities in the country. A further fifteen appeared last Friday.
Loughlin, 54, will be face Judge M Page Kelley, alongside her husband, fashion designer, Mossimo Giannulli, 55.
She received a star-studded welcome after touching down in Boston Tuesday, smiling as she posed for photos and signed autographs when she was greeted by fans at Boston Logan International Airport.
The couple allegedly paid out $500,000 to guarantee their daughters Isabella, 20, and Olivia, 19, places in the University of South California by having the girls fraudulently designated athletic recruits.
Both won places as row crew recruits despite the fact that the closest they ever got to the sport was being photographed on an ergometer in pictures sent by their father to scheme mastermind Rick Singer, 58, in support of the fraudulent applications.
The actresses were charged after Operation Varsity Blues exposed them as part of the largest college admissions scheme in US history. Prosecutors are adamant Huffman and Loughlin will face some jail time whether or not they enter a guilty or not guilty plea
Felicity Huffman arrives to her court appearance Wednesday with her brother, accused of paying a $15,000 bribe to get her oldest daughter Sofia into USC
Fans of Full House star Lori Loughlin wait outside the courtroom holding photos of the disgraced star ahead of her arrival to federal court in Boston
Loughlin and Giannulli both had bonds of $1million set by federal court in LA. Huffman's was set at $250,000. These conditions are expected to remain unchanged by the Boston judge.
Huffman's husband William H Macy, 69, has avoided any charges though telephone conversations recorded by the FBI suggest that he was well aware of the scheme and his wife's alleged participation.
Huffman allegedly paid $15,000 to have corrupt test proctor Mark Riddell , 36, take her daughter, Sofia's SAT.
Riddell, who has admitted his guilt in a plea agreement reached in February, would either sit exams for the applicant or correct their answers. The tests were sat at a center that Singer claimed to 'control.'
Singer advised parents to obtain extra time by getting a letter from a doctor or psychologist advising that their child has learning disabilities of some kind.
Singer told FBI agents that he met with the former Desperate Housewife, Huffman, 56, and her Shameless spouse, Macy, at their home in Los Angeles to explain how the cheating scheme worked.
In October 2017 Huffman's daughter, Sofia, 19, received a letter advising that she had been approved for 100 percent extended time.
Huffman immediately forwarded the letter to Singer with the words, 'Hurray! She got it.'
Loughlin and her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli allegedly paid $500,000 to get their daughters Olivia Jade (left) and Isabella (right) into USC
Felicity Huffman's daughter Georgia and Sofia (left in January with their parents) seemed to be unaware of the scandal to have proctor take her daughter's test. William H Macy has not been charged in the scheme
But the alleged plan was nearly over before it began when a school counselor informed Huffman that the school would be the test center and that she herself would act as proctor.
Huffman forwarded this information with the message, 'Ruh Ro! Looks like [my daughter's high school] wants to provide own proctor.'
Singer replied that they would speak about it.
In subsequent emails the actress allegedly agreed to tell the high school that her daughter would take the exam at a different center and across a weekend so that she would not miss any school.
Ultimately Sofia scored 1420 on her SAT - some 400 above the score she had achieved on a practice test.
Huffman was recorded almost immediately entertaining the idea of doing the same for her younger daughter, seventeen-year-old Georgia though she worried that the girl would insist on sitting the test twice regardless of what she got as she was 'academically driven.'
In November 2018 she allegedly confirmed that she wanted to go ahead with the scheme but only after her daughter first took the exam on her own, without cheating.
Singer told law enforcement that when parents insisted on this he would typically direct Riddell to ensure that their second score didn't increase by more than 30 percent from the 'baseline' to avoid any suspicion.
According to Macy they were talking about applying places 'like Georgetown.'
In the end Huffman and Macy decided not to go through with the cheating scheme for their younger daughter.
Manuel and Elizabeth Henriques, facing charges in a nationwide college admissions cheating scheme for paying for their daughter to get into Northwestern University, enter federal court on Wednesday in Boston
Investor John Wilson arrives at federal court in Boston with his wife Leslie on Wednesday to face charges of wire fraud
In contrast Loughlin and her husband stand accused of enthusiastically participating in the scheme for both their daughters.
In April 2016 Giannulli sent an email to Singer, copying his wife, in which he said he wanted to 'fully understand the game plan and make sure we have a roadmap for success as it relates to [our daughter] and getting her into a school other than ASU!'
In Singer's view Olivia's academic qualifications were 'at or just below the 'low end' of USC's admissions standards.'
In September 2016 Giannulli sent Singer a picture of Isabella, 20, on a rowing machine to assist with the creation of a false athletic profile. Two days after she received a conditional acceptance Giannulli received an invoice for a purported donation of $50,000 to Donna Heinel, Senior Women's Associate Athletic Director of USC Athletics.
Heinel, 57, has been charged and pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy - a crime carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
In April 2017, one week after her official acceptance Giannulli received a communication telling him that his 'pledge' of $200,000 to Key Worldwide Foundation - the non-profit corporation through which Singer allegedly funneled payments - was due.
The couple allegedly repeated the exercise with their younger daughter, Olivia, 19.
According to friends Olivia is not speaking to her parents and has been staying with her boyfriend since the scandal broke.
The Youtuber and 'beauty influencer' had come under particularly vicious criticism for monetizing her college life on social media while boasting of blowing off study.
According to friends her anger is only fueled by the fact that she never wanted to go to college in the first place and now blames her parents for ruining her life.
And yesterday parents already embroiled in the scandal were hit with a new threat - this time from the IRS.
According to federal authorities the way the payments were made by parents - purportedly in the form of charitable donations to Singer's non-profit organization KWF - allowed them to write them off on their taxes.
New York food and beverage distributor Gregory Abbott is pictured arriving to Federal court for his initial appearance in the college bribery scheme Friday. He is a parent in the case
Michelle Janavs (left) and Marci Palatella are also appearing in court Friday with 13 other parents. They were just the first of the 33 parents charged in the scheme to have their day in court
None are facing tax evasion charges yet but if they are found to have committed it they face severe financial penalties.
In addition to paying back the taxes they owe they could get hit at a minimum with a 20 percent penalty for claiming a deduction they shouldn't have.
If any are found to have committed civil tax fraud the penalty due would be equal to 75 percent of the amount they underpaid.
Last Monday a dozen coaches, administrators and other college staff appeared in Boston federal court and pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy.
On Thursday Michael Center, 54, former head coach of men's tennis at the University of Texas, Austin pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
That same day Rudy Meredith, 51, the former head women's soccer coach at Yale University took a plea agreement in which he admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud..
Meredith was the first of three key players to flip and cooperate with investigators in exposing the sprawling scam.
Both counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; 36 months supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
According to the terms of his plea agreement prosecutors are seeking a prison term and fine on the low end of that scale along with 36 months supervised release and $866,000 in restitution - approximately the sum he made from his criminal activity.
He will be sentenced on 20 June.
THE FULL LIST OF PEOPLE CHARGED WITH COLLEGE ADMITTANCE SCAM
THE STARS
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli spent $500,000 getting their two daughters into USC, according to prosecutors
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli
Actress Loughlin and her fashion designer husband Mossimo are among the three most well known names on the list. They have two daughters, Olivia, 20, Isabella, 19, and Mossimo also has a son from a previous relationship. It is not clear which of their children is in college.
Olivia is a YouTube star who has amounted millions of fans online but she is also enrolled at USC, as is their 19-year-old daughter Isabella.
They allegedly paid $50,000 to get their oldest daughter into USC under the guise that she was a crew coxswain when in fact she does not row crew.
Felicity Huffman is accused of paying a $15,000 bribe to get her oldest daughter Sofia into USC
Felicity Huffman
Huffman is best known for her role on Desperate Housewives.
She is married to fellow actor William H. Macy but he has not been charged in the indictment.
The pair have two daughters, Sofia, 18, and Georgia, 16.
Huffman is accused of paying $15,000 to have her daughter's exam proctored by Mark Riddell.
Riddell was described by authorities as 'just a really smart guy' who would either sit tests for students, change their answers afterwards or help them actively while they took it in one of two test centers that was 'controlled' by the scheme's 'mastermind' Rick Singer.
Huffman allegedly used the scheme in December 2017 but the indictment does not specify how Riddell allegedly helped her daughter.
She considered using it for her youngest daughter, Georgia, but decided in the end that she did not need to, according to authorities.
THE COLLEGE PROFESSORS, COACHES AND 'MASTERMIND'
William Rick Singer, the 'mastermind'
Rick Singer ran The Key, a college preparation business
Singer is accused of leading the scam.
He led a college counseling program and, according to prosecutors, also ran a fake charity through which he funneled bribes.
The scam worked in two ways; he would have people come into the exam to correct students' answers and he also then bribed sports coaches to offer them scholarships, in some cases for sports they did not even play.
Singer cooperated with authorities as part of the investigation and continued taking bribes after he had been contacted by police.
Some of his conversations were recorded by police who obtained a wire tap to listen in. He is facing a maximum of 65 years behind bars and has pleaded guilty on all counts he was charged with.
It remains unclear if he will be given leniency given his cooperation.
Rudolph Meredith
Meredith is a women's soccer coach at Yale. In his bio on the college's website, he is heralded as the 'winningest' coach, with 24 seasons under his belt.
Mark Riddell
Riddell is the director of IMG Academy , a college entrance exam preparation company.
Rudolph Meredith, the women's soccer coach at Yale (left) and Mark Riddell, director of IMG Academy
John Vandemoer
Vandemoer is the head sailing coach at Stanford.
Gordon Ernst
Ernst is the head of women's tennis at the University of Rhode Island.
He taught at Georgetown in the past and worked as a personal tennis coach for Michelle Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, while they were in the White House.
John Vandemoer (left) is the head sailing coach at Stanford. Gordie Ernst was Michelle Obama's private tennis coach when she was First Lady. He is now the head of women's tennis at the University of Rhode Island.
Houmayoun Zadeg
Homa H Zadeh is a professor at USC. He is the Associate Professor and Director, Advanced Education Program in Periodontology.
Michael Center
Center is the men's soccer coach at the University of Texas.
Homa H Zadeh (left) is a professor at USC. Michael Center (right) is the men's soccer coach at the University of Texas.
Donna Heinel
Heinel is the senior women's athletics director at USC. She is alleged to have accepted a $50,000 from Lori Loughlin and her husband, among others, for admitting fraudulent tests.
Laura Janke
Janke is a former assistant soccer coach at USC. She allegedly took payment from Loughlin and her husband for their youngest daughter.
Donna Heinel (left) is the senior athletic director at USC. Laura Janke (right) is a former assistant soccer coach
Ali Khosroshahin
Khosroshahin is the head women's soccer coach at USC.
Jovan Vavic
Vavic is the head coach for the men's and women's water polo teams at USC.
Ali Khosroshahin (left) is the head of women's soccer at USC and Jovan Vavic is the head of the men's and women's water polo teams at USC
Igor Dvorskiy
Dvorskiy is the president of the West Hollywood College Preparatory School and he worked at the West Hollywood Test Center where he turned a blind eye as the cheating happened for $10,000 at a time.
Niki Williams
Williams worked as a test administrator at one of the test centers Singer told parents he 'controlled'. She was a teaching assistant for Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas.
PARENTS
Bill McGlashan
McGlashan is a prolific private equity investor who is the founder and managing partner of the firm TPG Growth.
He is also at the helm of The Rise Fund, a social impact fund he launched with Bono.
Gregory and Marcia Abbott
New York couple Gregory and Marcia Abbott, 68 and 59, were also named.
Gregory Abbott is the founder and chairman of International Dispensing Corp., a successful food and beverage packaging company.
The couple, who have homes in New York City and Aspen, Colorado, allegedly paid a total of $125,000 to have someone take the ACT and SAT subject tests for their daughter so she could gain entrance to Duke University.
Bill McGlashan and Gregory Abbott are pictured
Gamal Abdelaziz
Abdelaziz stepped down as president and COO of Wynn Resorts in 2016.
He is accused of bribing Donna Heinel, the senior women's athletics director at USC, to recruit his daughter for the basketball team in 2017.
According to court documents, his daughter played high school basketball but was not gifted enough to get recruited as an athlete so he arranged for her to be one.
He then made a $300,000 'donation' to the fictitious charity run by 'ringleader' Rick Singer and then made monthly $20,000 payments directly to Heinel.
His daughter got into the college but never joined the basketball team, according to the documents.
In a phone call with the fixer, they said: 'I’m not going to tell the IRS anything about the fact that your $300,000 was paid to Donna-- Donna Heinel at USC to get [your daughter] into school even though she wasn’t a legitimate basketball player at that level.'
Jane Buckingham
Buckingham is the owner of the now defunct market research firm, Youth Intelligence. She sold the company in 2003.
She is charged in the scheme for allegedly paying $50,000 to have someone else take her son's ACT exam in July 2018 because he had tonsilitis.
Buckingham sent a handwriting sample for her son to a test taker and had him take a fake exam at home so he wouldn't know about the fraud, court documents indicate.
Gamal Abdelaziz, the president and COO of Wynn Resorts (left) and Jane Buckingham, the owner of the now defunct market research firm Youth Intelligence
Gordon Caplan
Caplan is a financial attorney and partner at the firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York City. He lives in Connecticut.
He allegedly paid $75,000 to have Singer arrange a proctor to corrected his daughter's answers after she took the ACT in November or December 2018.
Robert Flaxman
Flaxman is the CEO, Co-founder, Crown Realty & Development, Inc, a real estate company based in Orange County.
Gordon Caplan (left) is a financial attorney and partner at the firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York City. Robert Flaxman (right) is the CEO, Co-founder, Crown Realty & Development
Agustin Huneeus
Vineyard owner Huneeus owns a range of wines that are produced in Napa Valley.
He allegedly participated in both the college entrance exam cheating scheme and the college recruitment scheme for his daughter in 2017 and 2018 by conspiring to bribe Heinel and Jovan Vavic, the USC water polo coach, to facilitate his daughter’s admission to USC as a purported water polo recruit, according to the indictment.
Elisabeth Kimmel is the former president of Midwest Television. She sold it in 2017 for $325million. Agustin Huneeus, whose family owns vineyards in Napa Valley, was also charged
Elisabeth Kimmel
Lis and Manuel Henriquez
Kimmel, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is the former president of Midwest Television. She sold it in 2017 for $325million.
She allegedly used the scheme to get her daughter into Georgetown and her son into USC by pretending the former was a tennis player and the latter was a pole vaulter.
Kimmel ultimately facilitated $475,000 in payments to KWF, according to the affidavit.
Toby MacFarlane
MacFarlane and his wife Christy are well known on the San Diego social and charity circuit.
He sits on the board of multiple companies and the family has their own trust but it is not exactly clear what he does.
Elizabeth and Manuel Henriquez
Marjorie Klapper
Diane and Todd Blake
I-Hsin "Joey" Chen
Amy and Gregory Colburn
Marci Palatella
Peter Jan Sartorio
Stephen Semprevivo
Devin Sloane
John Wilson
Robert Zangrillo
Steven Masera
William Ferguson
Martin Fox
Jorge Salcedo
Bruce and Davina Isackson
Mikaela Sanford
David Sidoo
Michelle Janavs
Douglas Hodge
photo link
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/felicity-huffman-and-lori-loughlin-to-make-their-first-appearances-in-court/
News Photo Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin to make their first appearances in court
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