Actresses Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin indicted in college admissions bribery case

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Actress Felicity Huffman is among a group of people indicted in a sweeping admissions bribery case unsealed in federal court.

Also among those indicted are designer Mossimo Giannulli, who founded the Mossimo clothing brand, and his wife Lori Loughlin, best known as Aunt Becky on the show "Full House."

A judge set bond for Huffman, 56, at $250,000. Loughlin, 54, has not yet been arrested but Giannulli will need to post a $1 million bond to get out.

The racketeering conspiracy charges unveiled Tuesday were also brought against the coaches at schools including Yale, Wake Forest University, Georgetown and the University of Southern California.

Authorities said the coaches accepted bribes in exchange for admitting students as athletes, regardless of their ability.

Prosecutors say parents paid William Singer, an admissions consultant, $25 million from 2011 through Feb. 2019 to bribe coaches and administrators to label their children as recruited athletes to boost their chances of getting into schools. One family allegedly paid more than $6 million for the service.

Prosecutors allege that fake athletic profiles were also made to make students look like strong high school athletes when they actually weren't.

"The parents charged today, despite already being able to give their children every advantage in the college admissions game, instead chose to corrupt and illegally manipulate the system," U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling of the district of Massachusetts said at a news conference. "Fake test scores, fake athletic credentials, fake photographs, bribed college officials."

Prosecutors said that Huffman and her husband actor William H. Macy allegedly made a charitable contribution of $15,000 to participate in a college entrance exam cheating scheme. Macy has not been charged in the case.

Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly paid $500,000 to have their two daughters designated as University of Southern California recruits for the rowing team even though they don't participate in crew.

Authorities said Singer's consulting company also bribed administrators of college entrance exams to allow a Florida man to take the tests on behalf of students or replace their answers with his.

With the Associated Press