Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin have been charged, along with 46 others, in a massive crackdown on a widespread bribery scam involving some of the most elite colleges in the United States.
Federal court records unsealed Tuesday in Boston name 50 people who have been allegedly indicted as part of the nationwide scheme, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts. “Dozens of individuals involved in a nationwide conspiracy that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities as purported athletic recruits were arrested by federal agents in multiple states and charged in documents unsealed on March 12, 2019, in federal court in Boston,” the release says.
Huffman allegedly gave $15,000 US “to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter,” the indictment states. Loughlin allegedly gave $500,000 US to say her child was part of the rowing team when that was not true, the indictment states.
Loughlin’s daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli faced backlash last year when she posted a video in which she said she was only interested in attending college for the parties. “I don’t know how much of school I’m gonna attend but I’m gonna go in and talk to my deans and everyone, and hope that I can try and balance it all,” she said. “But I do want the experience of like game days, partying…I don’t really care about school, as you guys all know.”
Fans quickly hit the comments section of the video, accusing Olivia of being “ungrateful” for her education and having a “privileged” outlook on school.
After reading the comments, Olivia posted a second video apology, admitting she was “disappointed” in herself.
“I said something super ignorant and stupid, basically. And it totally came across that I’m ungrateful for college — I’m going to a really nice school. And it just kind of made it seem like I don’t care, I just want to brush it off. I’m just gonna be successful at YouTube and not have to worry about school,” she said in the video. “I’m really disappointed in myself.”
The Internet reacted to the news in the way it knows best—with humour. Perhaps the easiest joke to make was to namedrop Loughlin’s famous Full House character, Aunt Becky:
