US admissions scam: Desperate Housewives actor Felicity Huffman, 12 other parents plead guilty to bribery

Felicity Huffman, best known for her role in the American comedy series, Desperate Housewives reportedly has agreed to plead guilty to paying bribes to get their children into elite universities along with 12 other parents on Monday. According to CNN, Huffman has pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to a fake charity associated with Rick Singer to facilitate cheating for her daughter on the SAT entrance examinations.

Huffman could reportedly face up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. However, CNN reports that the United States federal prosecutors are likely to recommend just 12 months of supervised release and a fine of $20,000.

“I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions,” Huffman said in a statement. “I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. I want to apologise to them and, especially, I want to apologise to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices’’ Huffman said in a statement as per CNN. She further added that her daughter had no knowledge of her fraud. “In my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her,” she said.

Along with Huffman, Gregory and Marcia Abbott, Jane Buckingham, Gordon Caplan, Robert Flaxman, Agustin Huneeus Jr., Marjorie Klapper, Peter Jan Sartorio, Stephen Semprevivo and Devin Sloane were reportedly all charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud and have agreed to plead guilty, prosecutors added.

William Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the scam who authorities say was paid about $25 million dollars to bribe coaches and university administrators have pleaded guilty and is cooperating with authorities. Singer, who pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering, money laundering and obstruction of justice, was reportedly paid up to $6.5 million by parents to get their children into prestigious universities.