Cape Cod Man Among Dozens Charged in Admissions Bribery Case

BOSTON (AP) — Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are among at least 40 people indicted in a sweeping college admissions bribery scandal.

A Cape Cod man who founded Hyannis Port Capital Inc. in 2002 was also charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. 

John B. Wilson served as the president of Hyannis Port Capital and also served as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Gap Inc., from 1996 to 2000 and as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance & Strategy for Staples Inc..

Loughlin appeared in the ABC sitcom “Full House,” and Huffman starred in ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.” Both were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud in indictments unsealed Tuesday in federal court in Boston.

Court documents say Huffman paid $15,000 that she disguised as a charitable donation so her daughter could partake in the college entrance cheating scam.

Court papers say a cooperating witness met with Huffman and her husband at their Los Angeles home and explained the scam to them. The cooperator told investigators that Huffman and her spouse “agreed to the plan.”

Huffman is married to actor William H. Macy.

Messages seeking comment have been left with representatives for Huffman and Loughlin.

College coaches and others have been charged in the sweeping admissions bribery case.

The racketeering conspiracy charges were brought against the coaches at schools including Wake Forest University, Georgetown and the University of Southern California.

Authorities say the coaches accepted bribes in exchange for admitting students as athletes, regardless of their ability.

Prosecutors say parents paid an admissions consultant $25 million from 2011 through Feb. 2019 to bribe coaches and administrators to label their children as recruited athletes to boost their chances of getting into schools.

Prosecutors allege that fake athletic profiles were also made to make students look like strong high school athletes when they actually weren’t.

Authorities say the consulting company also bribed administrators of college entrance exams to allow a Florida man to take the tests on behalf of students or replace their answers with his.