Rick Singer Sentenced to 3.5 Years in Prison for College Admissions Scandal

Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman and several college coaches and officials were indicted in the nationwide college admissions scandal on March 12, 2019 — and the fallout and prison sentences are still making headlines.

According to court documents, the Full House alum and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, allegedly “agreed to pay bribes totaling $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 — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”

Loughlin and Giannulli are the parents of daughters Bella and Olivia Jade. Following their initial fraud charges, the couple was hit with additional money laundering and bribery charges. While they initially pleaded not guilty to all charges against them, the duo agreed to a plea deal in May 2020.

Huffman, for her part, “made a purported charitable contribution of $15,000 … to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her eldest daughter,” per court docs. The actress and husband William H. Macy are parents of daughters Sophia and Georgia.

While the Desperate Housewives alum made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time, for her younger daughter, before deciding not to do so,” the paperwork explained.

After Huffman pleaded guilty to fraud charges, she was sentenced to 14 days in prison. She also apologized for her role in the scandal, admitting she paid to improve Sophia’s SAT scores.

“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,” she said in a statement in September 2019. “I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. I want to apologize to them and, especially, I want to apologize 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.”

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Loughlin and Giannulli faced the judge in August 2020 via Zoom amid the coronavirus pandemic. During her statement, she got emotional.

“I made an awful decision. I went along will the plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process,” she said. “In doing so, ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass. I thought I was acting out of love for my children, but in reality, I had only undermined and diminished my daughters’ abilities and accomplishments.”

Loughlin continued: “I have great faith in God and I believe in redemption and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good and give back for the rest of my life. Your honor, I am truly, profoundly and deeply sorry. I am ready to face the consequences and make amends.

The designer was less emotional during his short statement. “I deeply regret the harm that my actions have caused my daughters, my wife and others,” he said. “I take full responsibility of my conduct. I am ready to accept the consequences and more forward with the lessons I’ve learned from this experience. Thank you.”

While more than 50 people were indicted in the case, scroll through for an update on the most famous names associated with the scandal:

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William “Rick” Singer

Singer is known as the mastermind behind the scandal, allegedly creating fake charities to facilitate the money for “donations” to various colleges, including Yale University, Georgetown, Stanford and the University of Southern California. Us obtained documents that featured Loughlin’s alleged emails to Singer in March 2019.

“[Olivia Jade] has not submitted all her colleges [sic] apps and is confused on how to do so,” the actress allegedly emailed  Singer, according to an affidavit. “I want to make sure she gets those in as I don’t want to call any attention to [her] with her little friend at [her high school]. Can you tell us how to proceed?”

Singer, who allegedly raked in $25 million from parents, pleaded guilty in March 2019 to the federal charges against him in connection to the case. 

In January 2023, he was sentenced to three and half years in federal prison and a forfeiture of over $10 million, according to CNN. He will also have three years of supervised release. A judge ruled that Singer must report to prison on February 27.

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Felicity Huffman

Huffman completed her 14-day sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, in October 2019. The actress’ sentence also included a $30,000 fine, a year of supervised release and 250 hours of community service. Less than two weeks after she returned home from prison, Huffman began her community service at The Teen Project in Los Angeles, a nonprofit that helps at-risk homeless teens who have been sex trafficked and/or suffer from addiction issues.

“She’s taken a genuine interest in the young women,” a source told Us in November 2019, noting she’s “trying to make a positive impact on their lives.”

The source added: “There was definitely apprehension that Felicity felt from the staff, because no one knew how seriously Felicity was going to take this. Most people just show, do the hours, and leave. They aren’t engaged and fully present. Felicity is the opposite.”

Us confirmed on October 26, 2020 that Huffman was off of supervised release and had completed her sentence. The judge also granted her request to get her passport back from the U.S. Probation and Pre-Trial Services Department. In November 2020, news broke that Huffman booked her first TV role since the scandal in a half-hour ABC comedy pilot alongside Zack Gottsagen. She is set to play the owner of a minor league baseball team, a character inspired by Susan Savage of the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.

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Sophia Grace Macy

While Huffman and Macy’s eldest daughter’s initial college plans didn’t work out in light of the scandal, she booked a role in the upcoming CBS All Access series The Twilight Zone in January 2020. She later announced in April 2020 that she will attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in the fall. Sophia, who reportedly retook her SATs after the scandal, is set to study drama.

Sophia’s younger sister, Georgia, for her part, started studying at Vassar in fall 2020.

Huffman gave insight into how her family handled the scandal in a letter to the judge in September 2019.

“When my daughter 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?’” Huffman explained. “I had no adequate answer for her. I could only say, ‘I am sorry. I was frightened and I was stupid.'”

Macy, meanwhile, wrote that his wife’s relationships with his daughter “exploded” following her arrest. “After her arrest Felicity found a wonderful family therapist and we’ve all been going (in various combinations) for the last few months. There is much to be done, and some of the hurt and anger will take years to work through, but we are making progress,” he wrote in his letter to the judge. “Sophia is slowly regaining her equilibrium and getting on with her life. She still doesn’t like to sleep alone and has nightmares from the FBI agents waking her that morning with guns drawn.”

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Lori Loughlin

After the scandal broke, Loughlin was fired from the Hallmark Channel and not asked back for the final season of Fuller House. After rejecting a plea deal in April 2019, Loughlin pleaded not guilty to the additional bribery charges filed against her in November.

“Lori has been meeting with her lawyers for days at a time,” a source told Us after her court appearance. “It’s her full-time job and she is very involved with her defense. When not at her lawyer’s office, Lori is emailing and texting with the team.”

A second insider told Us in February 2020 that Loughlin had “renewed sense of hope” after prosecutors discovered notes written by Singer that could potentially get the couple off the hook.

“Singer’s notes indicate that FBI agents yelled at him and instructed him to lie by saying that he told his clients who participated in the in the alleged ‘side door’ scheme that their payments were bribes, rather than legitimate donations that went to the schools,” the duo’s lawyer Sean Berkowitz claimed in docs obtained by Us.

“Lori is feeling motivated and ready to fight,” the second insider said.

Us confirmed in January 2020 that the Loughlin-Giannulli family put their multi-million dollar home on the market.

After a judge denied their petition to drop the charges in the case in May 2020, Loughlin and Giannulli agreed to change their plea from not guilty to guilty. In August 2020, a judge signed off on the actress’ plea deal — two months in prison, a $150,000 fine and two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service.

Loughlin reported the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, on October 30, 2020. She was released less than two months later on December 28, 2020. Us broke the news in February 2021 that Loughlin completed her 100 hours of community service but was continuing her work with Project Angel Food. A judge returned her passport that same month.

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Oliva Jade Giannulli

The YouTuber, who lost several advertisers and sponsors after the scandal broke, went dark on social media and her beauty channel for months. Olivia Jade, who is no longer enrolled at USC, made her first YouTube video after the scandal on December 1, 2019.

“Obviously, I’ve been gone for a really long time and as much as I wish I could talk about all of this, it’s really hard for me to say this, just because I know that it’s something that needs to be addressed,” the influencer, who has nearly 2 million subscribers, said. “It’s just, unfortunately, also why I didn’t know exactly when I should come back to YouTube but the reason for that is just ’cause I’m legally not allowed to speak on anything going on right now.”

Days later, Olivia Jade uploaded a makeup video, but has subsequently stopped uploading again. She has, however, been more social in recent months, partying with Kylie Jenner‘s former assistant Victoria Villarroel, influencer Stassie Karanikolaou and boyfriend Jackson Guthy.

In her first interview, Olivia apologized and admitted to the family’s wrongdoing. “We had the means to do something and we completely took it and ran with it. It was something that it was wrong,” she said on Red Table Talk in December 2020. “It really can’t be excused. On paper, it’s bad — it’s really bad. But I think what a lot of people don’t know is my parents came from a place of just, ‘I love my kids. I just want to help my kids — whatever is best for them — I worked my whole life to provide for my family.’ I think they thought it was normal.”

Olivia relaunched her YouTube channel in January 2021.

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Bella Rose Giannulli

Just like her sister, Bella is no longer attending USC. A source told Us in January that both girls could’ve be called to testify in the college admissions case if their mother didn’t change her plea to guilty.

“Lori has been told by the legal team that the United States Attorney’s Office will use her daughters as star witnesses in hopes of securing a conviction,” a source told Us in January 2020, noting that the pair’s daughters “had their world turned upside down when their parents were indicted. [Lori] was told there wasn’t unless there was a change from not guilty to guilty. Accepting a plea bargain would be the only solution.”

A day before her mom began her prison sentence, Bella starred in Cliff Clawson’s music video for the song “Chasing Highs.”

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Mossimo Giannulli

Target, which ran Giannulli’s “Mossimo” clothing line for years, spoke out about the fashion designer after the scandal broke. “We haven’t had a working relationship with Mossimo Giannulli in over a decade and we no longer carry any Mossimo branded products at Target,” the company said in a statement in April 2019.

Loughlin and Giannulli both pleaded not guilty to all charges, but a source told Us in October 2019 that they are “reacting and handling the scandal completely differently.”

“Moss is in good spirits and continues to socialize as if nothing’s wrong — either he’s in complete denial or it’s a front that he’s mastered so nobody judges him,” the source said.

Another insider told Us that the twosome’s marriage was strained amid the case. “Their daughter Bella is extremely concerned they’re going to get divorced,” a source said in September 2019, noting that they butted heads over whether they should take a private jet to their Boston court appearance. “The couple was advised by their lawyers not to … but Mossimo insisted, saying it would be a ‘zoo’ if they flew commercial.”

Along with his wife, Giannulli agreed to a plea deal in May 2020. Three months later, the judge signed off on the sentence: five months in prison, a $250,000 fine, two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service.

He began his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, on October 30, 2020. After several weeks in solitary confinement, Us confirmed in January 2021 that Giannulli was moved to the minimum security area of the prison. While he previously tried to serve the remainder of his sentence from his home, a judge denied his early release request.

Giannulli was released from prison “three months earlier” than planned, Us confirmed in April 2021. “It’s Lori’s Easter surprise.”

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Michelle Janavs

The Hot Pockets heiress, who was accused of paying bribes totaling $300,000 to help her two daughters get into prestigious colleges, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges in October 2019. The following February, Janavs was ordered to five months in prison, two years of supervised release, 200 hours of community service and a $250,000 fine.

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Gordon Ernst

The head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Georgetown University resigned and pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy in March 2019. He was hit with several new charges in October 2019, including conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, and honest services mail and wire fraud.

Ernst was sentenced in July 2022 to 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release. He was allowed to serve his first six months in home confinement.

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Donna Heinel

The former senior associate athletic director at USC initially pleaded not guilty to racketeering charges. In November 2021, she changed her tune and pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud as part of a plea agreement.

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Ali Khosroshahin

The head women’s soccer coach at USC pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering in June 2019. Khosroshahin was sentenced in June 2022 to six months of home confinement.

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Laura Janke

The assistant women’s soccer coach at USC, who was accused of creating fake athletic profiles for students, originally pleaded not guilty to to a single count of conspiracy to commit racketeering in March. Two months later, she changed her plea and struck a plea deal. As part of her agreement, Janke could be called to testify against others charged in the case. Her government recommended sentence is one year of supervised release, a fine, forfeiture and restitution. In June 2022, a judge awarded her time served.

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Jovan Vavic

The former waterpolo coach at USC pleaded not guilty to racketeering charges. Vavic’s lawyer claimed the coach was “not only encouraged but effectively required” to raise money for the team, claiming his system was “fully endorsed and facilitated by university officials.” The attorney added that the case “ignores the reality that at USC, a parent’s ability and willingness to contribute to the university, including to athletics, influenced admissions decisions.”

Vavic was awarded a new trial in September 2022 after previously being convicted of soliciting and accepting over $220,000 in bribes, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and more. The new trial date has not been announced as of January 2023.

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Jorge Salcedo

The former head men’s soccer coach at UCLA pleaded not guilty to racketeering charges in May 2019. The following October, he was hit with fraud and bribery charges. Salcedo filed a motion against the college in January 2020, alleging that the university should be held responsible for admitting students of wealthy donors. UCLA denied the claims in a statement: “Yesterday’s motion is a false and misleading effort by the criminal defense team for former men’s soccer head coach Jorge Salcedo to defend him against serious criminal charges based on information that has already been widely reported and addressed by UCLA.”

Salcedo was sentenced in March 2021 to “eight months in prison, one year of supervised release and forfeiture in the amount of $200,000,” according to Justice.gov.

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William Ferguson

The Wake Forest women’s volleyball coach resigned in August 2019 after he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering charges. Two months later, Ferguson was hit with additional charges, including conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, and honest services mail and wire fraud.

In October 2021, federal prosecutors agreed to drop their case again Ferguson if he paid a $50,000 fine, according to court documents obtained by AP News.

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Michael Center

The former University of Texas at Austin head men’s tennis coach was sentenced to six months in prison for accepting $100,000 in bribes. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud in April 2019.

Center began serving his six-month sentence in April 2020. He was moved to a Texas halfway house in September of that year and remained there until the end of his sentence in October 2020. Center was also ordered to pay back $60,000 and serve one year of probation.

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Rudy Meredith

The former head women’s soccer coach at Yale pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges in March 2019. He was set to be sentenced in June 2019, but his hearing was delayed. In November 2022, Meredith was sentenced to five months in prison and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $19,000 fine and forfeiture of $557,774, per Justice.gov.

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John Vandemoer

The former head sailing coach was sentenced to one day of prison in June 2019, which he was deemed to have served. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, serve two years of supervised release and six months of home confinement wearing an electronic monitor.