Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin face possible jail over US college entry scandal
Felicity Huffman makes her first appearance in court as Full House star Lori Loughlin surrenders to authorities over the college-admissions scandal.
Prosecutors say the mothers and fathers charged in the college-admissions scandal weren’t just deep-pocketed cheats, but federal criminals.
To make its case, the government is relying on the same catchall bribery charge prosecutors have used to put crooked politicians in prison.
The 33 parents named in an unsealed federal criminal complaint are accused of conspiring to commit what is known as honest-services fraud.
The honest-services fraud statute, effectively an anticorruption tool, makes it a crime to cheat the government or private employer out of a right to the “honest services” of its public servants or employees.
In Massachusetts, prosecutors are alleging that the parents conspired to deprive colleges out of the honest services of athletics coaches and administrators accused of taking bribes. The money for the bribes was allegedly funneled through a college-prep executive who has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other crimes.
The criminalisation of academic deception isn’t unprecedented. In 1997, a federal appeals court in Ohio upheld the convictions of three former graduate students and two professors at the University of Tennessee Space Institute. Prosecutors alleged that the professors helped the students earn their degrees by allowing them to plagiarise their dissertations and thesis.
The court explained that the professors owed a fiduciary duty to the university in deciding who should graduate and that the students intended for the professors to breach that trust. The plagiary scheme harmed the school, the judges said.
“Awarding degrees to inept students, or to students who have not earned them, will decrease the value of degrees in general,” the appeals court wrote. “More specifically, it will hurt the reputation of the school and thereby impair its ability to attract other students willing to pay tuition, as well as its ability to raise money.”
If convicted of the felony charges, the charged parents could serve prison time. Those who plead guilty early or paid smaller amounts of bribes probably won’t face more than a year.
But the punishments could depend on how prosecutors or judges apply federal sentencing guidelines, according to University of Missouri law professor Frank O. Bowman, a former federal prosecutor.
It is possible but unlikely that prosecutors could ask for longer terms of several years by factoring into the sentencing calculations the value of the benefit the parents had hoped to obtain — entry into an college — rather than the dollar amounts of the bribes. “If you can actually calculate what it’s worth, it could become the basis of a sentence in theory,” said Mr Bowman.
Accused appear in court
Actress Felicity Huffman and clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli made their first appearances in federal court in Los Angeles following their arrests for allegedly cheating to get their children into elite colleges.
Huffman appeared in court after her early morning arrest at her Los Angeles home and spoke only to address the judge’s yes or no questions about whether she understood the charges and the proceedings.
The Los Angeles Times reports FBI agents with guns drawn showed up at Huffman’s home at 6am to take her into custody.
Huffman is accused of paying someone to have her daughter’s SAT answers changed, to boost the girl’s score.
According to the 204-page criminal complaint, Huffman, known for her role on Desperate Housewives, is accused of paying $US15,000 to a charity the government said was a cover for the alleged cheating scheme. In court documents, prosecutors said she was recorded discussing the possible arrangements for her younger daughter as well.
Actor William H. Macy, Huffman’s husband, wasn’t named in the criminal complaint but the prosecutor said that he was a “subject of the investigation.” He was also recorded discussing the cheating arrangements, according to the court filings. He is identified as “spouse” in the court filings.
Macy, who plays the father on Showtime’s Shameless, declined to comment before his wife’s court proceeding. Huffman couldn’t be reached for comment.
A judge in the case ordered Huffman released on $US250,000 appearance bond, to be signed by Macy.
Giannulli, whose wife, actress Lori Loughlin, was also named in the criminal complaint, was ordered released from jail on a $US1 million bond, to be secured with the deed to a family home.
Loughlin, best known for Full House, surrendered to authorities this morning and was to appear in a Los Angeles court, accused of paying $US500,000 in bribes to ensure her two daughters were recruited to the University of Southern California rowing team even though the pair did not participate in crew.
Loughlin’s daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli, a teen lifestyle blogger and social-media celebrity, started her freshman year at the University of Southern California last autumn, and quickly made negative headlines. She was criticised for being a poor role model after posting a YouTube video in August in which she said she was excited to start college so she could attend college football games and campus parties.
“I don’t really care about school, as you guys all know,” she said.
Prior to Lori Loughlin & Mossimo Giannulli's indictment in the $25 million college bribery scandal, daughter Olivia Giannulli, a social media "influencer" with 1 million-plus followers, said "I don't really care about school" and joked that her parents "made [her] go" to college. pic.twitter.com/jNOoZVloX6
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) March 13, 2019
FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Loughlin, 54, surrendered to FBI agents after returning from Vancouver, where she was filming.
Neither Huffman nor Giannulli entered pleas in the case. They are both scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston later this month.
Igor Dvorskiy, a private schoolteacher in the Los Angeles area accused of helping cheat on the college-entrance exams, was ordered released on $US150,000 bond, to be signed by his wife. Mr Dvorskiy was indicted on racketeering conspiracy charges in the case Mr Dvorskiy didn’t enter a plea and is expected to appear in court later this month in Boston.
White House responds
The indictment of wealthy Californians has provided ammunition for the Trump administration in its feud with the Hollywood elite.
Kellyanne Conway, 52, an adviser to the president, offered a characteristically tart response to the charges against Ms Loughlin and Ms Huffman. “They [are] worried their daughters are as stupid as their mothers,” she said on Twitter.
.@LoriLoughlin & @FelicityHuffman indicted for lying and buying spots in college.
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) March 12, 2019
They worried their daughters are as stupid as their mothers. https://t.co/cSBugdydmo
She added another broadside against the 50 people charged in the alleged scam, noting that “48 others were charged, too. Coaches, athletic directors took millions.” Ms Conway wrote: “YOU FAILED THESE KIDS.”
2 actresses get most attention for college admissions cheating scandal.
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) March 12, 2019
Yet 48 others were charged, too.
Coaches, athletic directors took millions.
CEOs
Author of ironically titled, “The Modern Girls Guide to Lifeâ€
Willkie Farr law firm partner
YOU FAILED THESE KIDS. https://t.co/7newJekV8B
Who are the parents charged?
Federal prosecutors charged 33 parents in the wide-ranging college admissions scheme, alleging that they paid for bogus entrance-exam scores and fake athletic achievements to get their children admitted to competitive colleges.
The names in bold are parents who were listed as defendants in the case. Unless otherwise noted, the parents didn’t respond to requests seeking comment or couldn’t be reached.
Greg Abbott is the founder of International Dispensing Corp, a food and beverage packaging company. He and his wife, Marcia Abbott, live in New York City and Aspen.
Gamal Abdelaziz is a former senior executive of a resort and casino operator in Macau. He is a longtime executive of the gaming and hospitality industry, including a stint at Wynn Resorts Development.
Diane Blake is an executive at a retail merchandising firm, and Todd Blake is an entrepreneur and investor.
Jane Buckingham of Beverly Hills, is the chief executive of a boutique marketing company based in Los Angeles.
Gordon Caplan is a private-equity lawyer and co-chairman at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, an international law firm based in New York.
I-Hsin “Joey” Chen, a resident of Newport Beach, Calif. operates a provider of warehousing and related services for the shipping industry. Prosecution documents also spell his name as I-Hsien Chen.
Gregory Colburn is a physician and lives in Palo Alto, California, with his wife, Amy Colburn.
Robert Flaxman, a resident of Beverly Hills, is the founder and CEO of a real-estate development firm in Southern California.
Manuel Henriquez is the founder, chairman and CEO of a publicly traded specialty finance company. He and his wife, Elizabeth Henriquez, live in Atherton, Calif.
Douglas Hodge spent 28 years at bond-investing giant Pacific Investment Management Co. in Newport Beach, Calif., and became chief executive in early 2014. He retired at the end of 2017. Mr Hodge said he planned to defend himself against the charges and declined further comment.
Felicity Huffman, actress best known for her role in the Desperate Housewives television series and the 2005 movie Transamerica. Huffman is married to actor William H. Macy, who wasn’t named in the case.
Agustin Huneeus Jr. is an owner of vineyards in Napa, California, and elsewhere.
Bruce and Davina Isackson; Mr Isackson is president of a real-estate development firm in California.
Michelle Janavs is a former executive of a large food manufacturer formerly owned by members of her family.
Elisabeth Kimmel of Las Vegas is the owner and president of a media company.
Marjorie Klapper of Menlo Park, California, is aco-owner of a jewellery business.
Lori Loughlin is an actress known for her role on the ABC sitcom Full House. A publicist for the 54-year-old actress declined to comment. Ms. Loughlin’s husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, was also charged.
Toby MacFarlane of Del Mar, California, is a former senior executive at a title-insurance company.
Bill McGlashan is the founder and managing partner of TPG Growth, the arm of the private-equity firm that invests in fast-growing companies including Airbnb Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. Mr McGlashan is also the co-founder of TPG’s Rise Fund, which is focused on socially and environmentally responsible investing. TPG said it placed Mr.McGlashan on indefinite administrativeleave, effective immediately.
Marci Palatella is CEO of a liquor-distribution company in Burlingame, California, and owner of a Kentucky distillery. Ms Palatellais married to Lou Palatella, who played for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.
Peter Jan Sartorio is a packaged-food entrepreneur and founder of Elena’s Foods in the San Francisco area.
Stephen Semprevivo is chief strategy and growth officer at Cydcor, a provider of outsourced sales services, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously was general manager of Machinima, a once-popular digital content network bought Warner Bros.and shuttered earlier this year.
David Sidoo is chief executive of Vancouver-based Advantage Lithium Corp. and East West Petroleum Corp., according the companies’ websites. A lawyer for Mr. Sidoo said in a statement the charge against his client carries the presumption of innocence. “We look forward to presenting our case in court, and ask that people don’t rush to judgment in the meantime,” Richard Schonfeld, the lawyer, said.
Devin Sloane is the founder and CEO of aquaTECTURE, a Los Angeles-based company that invests in water-treatment systems and technology. He has served as a trustee on the board of the Buckley School, a private K-12 school in Los Angeles.
John B. Wilson is the founder and CEO of a private-equity and real-estate development firm in Massachusetts.
Homayoun Zadeh who lives in Calabasas, California, is an associate professor of dentistry.
Robert Zangrillo of Miami, Florida, is the founder and CEO of a private investment firm.
With Alicia A. Caldwell
The Wall Street Journal
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