Huffman & Sloane Admit to College Scam

BOSTON – The rot in the elite college system continues to surface. Two California parents, Felicity Huffman, 56, of Los Angeles, and Devin Sloane, 53, also of Los Angeles, threw in the towel today, pleading guilty in federal court to their roles in the sprawling college admissions and testing bribery scheme. The pair admitted to actively participating in a conspiracy that rigged the system for their children, while countless deserving students were left behind.

Huffman, known for her role on “Desperate Housewives,” confessed to conspiring to pay Rick Singer $15,000 to grease the wheels for her oldest daughter’s college entrance exam. The government has agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of the sentencing guidelines – a slap on the wrist, frankly – along with one year of supervised release, a $20,000 fine, and orders for restitution and forfeiture. It’s a far cry from the potential 20 years she faced.

Sloane’s scheme was significantly more brazen. He admitted to shelling out a staggering $250,000 to Singer in an attempt to secure a spot for his son. For this, the government will recommend a sentence of one year and one day in prison, plus a year of supervised release and a $75,000 fine, alongside restitution and forfeiture. A mere 366 days behind bars for buying his kid’s future? The message this sends is clear: if you have enough money, justice is negotiable.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani has scheduled sentencing for Huffman on September 13, 2019, and for Sloane on September 10, 2019. The courtroom will be packed, but will the punishment fit the crime? We’ll be watching closely. This case, and the many others stemming from this investigation, expose a deep-seated corruption within the higher education system, where privilege and wealth often trump merit.

The charge against both Huffman and Sloane is conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The actual sentences, however, will be determined by Judge Talwani, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors. Don’t hold your breath for maximum penalties.

The investigation, led by United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, the FBI’s Boston Field Division (Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta), and the IRS’s Criminal Investigations in Boston (Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell), continues to unravel the full extent of this criminal enterprise. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney are prosecuting the case. Detailed case information, including charging documents and plea agreements, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme. Remember, these are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. But the stench of entitlement is undeniable.”