It took four years to break her silence, but Felicity Huffman is finally ready to share her part in the infamous college admissions scandal.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree fell from grace in 2019 following a viral government operation that exposed a scheme to bribe students into elite universities. While many criticized the “Desperate Housewives” star for cheating the system, the mother of two claims her actions came from a good place.
Felicity Huffman believes corruption is the only way to secure her daughter’s future
The “Tammy’s Always Dying” actress and dozens of other wealthy parents, including actress Lori Loughlin, made headlines in 2019 after they were caught up in the government’s criminal investigation, “Operation Varsity Blues.”
The US Attorney’s Office alleges that the group used bribery, fraud and other forms of illegal deception to secure their children’s admission to prestigious schools such as Yale, USC and Georgetown. On Huffman’s part, the entertainer paid the mastermind of the scam, William “Rick” Singer, $15,000 to fake his daughter’s SAT exam.
However, he paid the price for his crime by serving 11 days in prison. While the scandal makes it look like rich people are abusing their wealth and connections to give their children an easy path, the “Trust Me” actress disagrees, claiming her actions are for her daughter’s future. In the words of the 60-year-old:
“People assumed that I was involved in this looking for ways to cheat the system and make the proverbial back-alley criminal deal, but that’s not the case. I work with a highly recommended college counselor named Rick Singer. I worked with him for a year and trusted him implicitly.”
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Huffman recalled in a recent interview with him ABC-7 Eyewitness News that Singer, in his expertise, would recommend programs and tutors for his daughter, Sophia. But after a year, the convicted college counselor suddenly changed his tune.
“He started saying, ‘Your daughter is not going to get into any college she wants. So, I believe him,” explained the mother of two children. Because the concerned parents never doubted Singer’s intentions, he was easily convinced when he suggested the deception. Recounting his emotions at the time, the Hollywood veteran said:
“As he slowly began to unfold the criminal scheme, it seemed – and I know this seemed crazy at the time – that was my only option to give my daughter a future. I know hindsight is 20/20, but it feels I would be a bad mother if I didn’t. So, I did.”
The co-author of “A Practical Guide for Boyfriends” insists he’s only thinking about his daughter, adding: “I feel like I have to give my daughter a chance in the future. So it’s like my daughter’s future, which means I have to break the law -law.”
Huffman insisted that her actions weighed heavily on her conscience, noting that she felt conflicted about falsifying her daughter’s SAT scores. According to the TV personality, he almost flipped his car on D-day, but due to “endless shame”, he couldn’t take the risk and regretfully pleaded guilty to his crime in 2019.
‘Desperate Housewives’ Star Reflects on Her Mistakes in Emotional Letter
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Before sentencing in 2019, the Bedford native wrote a letter of remorse to the judge who presided over the college admissions scandal. In her message, the 60-year-old woman accepted responsibility for her actions, stating that she should have turned down Singer’s attractive offer.
“Please, tell me clearly, I know there is no justification for what I did. Yes, there’s a bigger picture, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter because I can say “No” to cheating on the SAT score,” Huffman wrote.
“I firmly take full responsibility for my actions and will respectfully accept whatever punishment the court deems appropriate,” he continued, adding, “How could I abandon my own moral compass and common sense?”
According to the “Sports Night” star, she relied on a team of specialists and doctors after her eldest son was diagnosed with a learning disability. The entertainer seems to blame these people for influencing his decision, claiming they became “a big part of my parenting and, unfortunately, I depended on them too much.”
“They came to override my maternal instincts and ultimately, in essence, my moral compass,” the Primetime Emmy Award recipient declared. A few days later, she apologized to her husband, William H. Macy, and their daughter. The statement reads in part:
“I want to apologize once again to my daughter, my husband, my family, and the educational community for my actions.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
