https://www.wcvb.com/article/juliette-gordon-low-girl-scouts/19037879

Dozens of people have been charged in a nationwide college admissions cheating and athletic recruitment scheme, federal officials announced Tuesday.

The United States Attorney’s Office will hold a press conference Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Boston to announce the charges.


Advertisement
Prominent entertainers and business owners are implicated in the alleged scandal that involves boosting SAT scores and bribing college administrators, according to the criminal complaint.

Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are among those named in the complaint. They face charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.

The complaint alleges Huffman "made a purported charitable contribution of $15,000 to KWF to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter."

Huffman allegedly paid to have someone who "controlled" an SAT testing center proctor her daughter's exam in Los Angeles and secretly correct her incorrect answers.

"Ultimately, Huffman's daughter received a score of 1420 in the SAT, an improvement of approximately 400 points over her PSAT," the complaint reads.

Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, agreed to "pay bribes totally $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team -- despite the fact that they did not participate in crew," according to the complaint.

Others implicated include owners of a media company, vineyard, private equity firm and real estate development firm.

John Wilson, of Lynnfield, who owns a private equity and real estate development firm, allegedly bribed the USC water polo coach to designate his son as a recruit to the USC men's water polo team.

"Wilson also sought to use bribes to to obtain the admission of his two daughters to Stanford University and Harvard University as recruited athletes," the complaint reads.

This is a developing story...

WCVB will have more information when it becomes available.