Sentenced to 14 days! American star Hoffman became the first person to be sentenced in a college admissions scandal

According to the US Chinese Network, on the 13th local time, there was a new development in the US college admissions fraud case, and Hoffman, an actress who had participated in "Desperate Housewives", was sentenced to 14 days in prison in the Boston federal court, becoming the first of the 34 parents accused of this case.

Infographic: William H. Messi, the husband of Hollywood movie star Felicity Hoffman.

Before the verdict was pronounced, Hoffman said: "I am very ashamed of what I have done. I caused more damage than I could have imagined. In addition to his imprisonment, Hoffman was sentenced to a fine of $30,000, 250 hours of community service and 1 year of supervised release.

In May, Hoffman reportedly pleaded guilty to a conspiracy and fraud charge. She admitted to paying $15,000 in 2017 to improve her eldest daughter's SAT score with the help of admissions counselor Singh. Prosecutors said Hoffman's daughter was not aware of the arrangement.

On Sept. 6, prosecutors said in a court filing that lighter sentences, including suspended sentences, meant little to people who "owned big houses with infinity pools on the Hollywood Hills." They added that a hefty fine for tens of millions of dollars is "nothing more than a rounding mistake."

Hoffman's lawyers said she should be sentenced to a one-year suspended sentence, a $20,000 fine for 250 hours of community service and a $20,000 fine. The defense said she was only a "client" in the admissions bribery program, and in other cases of academic fraud, only the boss was jailed.

It is reported that the case is regarded as a trial and sentencing guideline for other defendants in the case. More than a dozen other parents who plead guilty will be sentenced in the next 2 months. Of the 34 parents of the defendants in this case, 15 pleaded guilty and 19 decided to plead their case in court.

In the fraud case, Hoffman paid a relatively low amount. Some other parents have been accused of paying up to $500,000 to get their children into elite universities.

Hours before Hoffman's sentencing, District Federal Judge Indira Talwani said the amount of bribes paid in the case did not necessarily affect the severity of the sentence. But the judge added that the sentencing would take all factors into account.

(Source: China News Network)