Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman Face College Cheating Case in Boston

By Gene Maddaus

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman made their first appearances in federal court in Boston on Wednesday, where they face charges stemming from a massive college admissions cheating scandal.

Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 to get their daughters into the University of Southern California. Huffman is alleged to have paid $15,000 to get her daughter a 400-point boost on the SAT exam. The three appeared before Magistrate Judge Page Kelley, but did not enter pleas on Wednesday, according to reporters in the courtroom.

They are among 33 parents who were charged in the sprawling case, hiring consultant William “Rick” Singer to gain an advantage in the admissions process. Singer pleaded guilty to four charges in March, admitting to bribing elite college coaches to accept students with false athletic resumes. Singer also bribed test administrators, enabling him to have hired a proctor to correct students’ mistakes on the SAT and ACT. In all, 50 people were charged in the scam.

Huffman and Giannulli were arrested on March 12, and made an initial appearance in Los Angeles federal court. A judge ordered Giannulli released on $1 million bail, while Huffman was let go on a $250,000 bond. Loughlin, who had been working in Vancouver at the time of the arrests, surrendered to the FBI the following day. She too was released on a $1 million bond.

Loughlin had been a regular on the Hallmark Channel’s “When Calls the Heart.” Following the allegations, the network dropped her . Loughlin’s daughters were admitted to USC as members of the crew team, though they had never rowed crew, according to prosecutors. They are accused of hiring Singer to concoct a fake athletic profile for the girls.