UPDATE: Felicity Huffman sentenced to 14 days in prison for college admissions scandal
Six months after the details of Operation Varsity Blues rocked the public, Felicity Huffman has been sentenced to 14 days in prison for her role in the college bribery scam, per Variety. Judge Indira Talwani also ordered the actress to pay a $30,000 fine and complete 250 hours of community service, on top of a year of supervised release. Prior to her sentencing, Huffman tearfully apologized to the court. “I was frightened, I was stupid and I was so wrong,” she said. “I am deeply ashamed of what I have done.” A week prior, Huffman wrote a letter attempting to explain her reasoning behind her criminal actions, stating that in her “desperation to be a good mother” she paid for the boost in her daughter’s SAT scores in an attempt to give her “a fair shot.” The judge addressed the assertion while issuing her verdict.
“Trying to be a good mother doesn’t excuse this,” Talwani said. “The outrage in this case is a system that is already so distorted by money and privilege in the first place… You took the step of having one more advantage to put your child ahead.”
Huffman, along with 13 others implicated in the scandal, plead guilty back in April. Lori Loughin, the other headlining actress in this case, and her husband Mossimo Giannulli took a different approach by pleading not guilty and refusing any plea deals. They await trial and could face up to 20 years in prison each, if found guilty.
UPDATE, 5:31 PM: In response to the judge’s ruling, Huffman has released the following statement.
I accept the court’s decision today without reservation. I have always been prepared to accept whatever punishment Judge Talwani imposed. I broke the law. I have admitted that and I pleaded guilty to this crime. There are no excuses or justifications for my actions. Period.
I would like to apologize again to my daughter, my husband, my family and the educational community for my actions. And I especially want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices supporting their children.
I have learned a lot over the last six months about my flaws as a person. My goal now is to serve the sentence that the court has given me. I look forward to doing my community service hours and making a positive impact on my community. I also plan to continue making contributions wherever I can well after those service hours are completed.
I can promise you that in the months and years to come that I will try and live a more honest life, serve as a better role model for my daughters and family and continue to contribute my time and energies wherever I am needed.
My hope now is that my family, my friends and my community will forgive me for my actions.