Felicity Huffman Pleads Guilty in College Admissions Scandal

Desperate Housewives actress Felicity Huffman pleaded guilty to her role in the college admissions [...]

Desperate Housewives actress Felicity Huffman pleaded guilty to her role in the college admissions scandal in a Boston federal courtroom Monday.

Prosecutors are recommending a four-month prison sentence, a $20,000 fine and 12 months of supervised release, reports CNN. She will be sentenced on Sept. 13.

Huffman, 56, agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in April. In a statement released at the time, she admitted her guilt and apologized.

"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.

She continued, "I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. I want to apologize to them and, especially, I want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices to support their children and do so honestly."

According to prosecutors, Huffman made a "charitable contribution of $15,000 to the Key Worldwide Foundation, a fake charity linked to Rick Singer. After Singer admitted to helping rich parents cheat on standardized tests and to bribe coaches to get students designated as recruited athletes in sports they did not play, 50 people were charged in a federal indictment in March.

Huffman's contribution went towards helping her daughter, Sofia, 18. Prosecutors said Singer paid someone to doctor Sofia's SAT scores and talked with Singer over the phone about the scheme. The criminal complaint also showed evidence that Huffman inquired about doing the same for 17-year-old daughter Georgia, but ultimately chose not to.

During Monday's hearing, Huffman told the judge, "I had no knowledge of Mr. Singer paying [others]. Everything else they said I did, I did."

In her April statement, Huffman claimed Sofia was not aware of her actions. Huffman's husband, actor William H. Macy, was also not charged.

"My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her," she said. "This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty."

Huffman was one of 13 parents who agreed to plead guilty in the scandal. Seventeen others, including Full House actress Lori Loughlin, pleaded not guilty.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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