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Felicity Huffman sentenced to 14 days in prison for college admissions scam

ANI
Washington DCUpdated: Sep 14, 2019, 12:25 PM IST
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File image of Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy. Photograph:(AFP)

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The matter started when earlier in March, the 'When They See Us' actor was sent behind the bars for paying $15,000 to improve her 19-year-old daughter Sophia's SAT scores.

Actor Felicity Huffman has been sentenced to 14 days in prison for her involvement in college admissions scam. According to the news agency, the authorities are calling this scam the largest one ever prosecuted. And now the actor will have to serve one-year probation, complete 250 hours of community service and make a payment of $30,000 as a fine.

Huffman arrived at the Boston's federal court with her husband actor William H Macy and few others for her hearing on Friday where she said, "I was frightened, I was stupid and I was so wrong." "I am deeply ashamed of what I have done. I take full responsibility for my actions. ... I am prepared to accept whatever sentence you deem fit," a visibly emotional Huffman told the judge before the verdict reported a magazine.

The matter started when earlier in March, the 'When They See Us' actor was sent behind the bars for paying $15,000 to improve her 19-year-old daughter Sophia's SAT scores.

Thereafter the Emmy winner apologised in a statement where she was found guilty of committing mail fraud and honest services fraud. "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's statement read.

"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 to support their children and do so honestly," read the statement.

About a week before her sentencing, a magazine found documents that Huffman and 27 of her family and friends wrote to District of Massachusetts Judge Indira Talwani. "In my desperation to be a good mother I talked myself into believing that all I was doing was giving my daughter a fair shot," Huffman wrote before detailing Sophia's heartbreaking reaction to her mother's actions.

"[She] looked at me and asked with tears streaming down her face, 'Why didn't you believe in me? Why didn't you think I could do it on my own?" The government had recommended one month in jail, 12 months of supervised release and a fine of $20,000 for the actor.