Who Knew Aunt Becky Had This In Her? (Felicity Huffman/Lori Loughlin college admissions scandal)

[Dan Druff]

I think defense attorneys have a great angle with this one, as far as the parents are concerned.

They can use the "College admissions have always been a joke" defense, basically pointing out that it's common knowledge that people get into college all the time via nepotism, athletic ability (without academic qualification), donations to the school, etc.

Parents can use the defense of, "We thought that was the system in place, and we thought we were basically doing the same thing as the guy who donates $1 million to the school to partially fund a new building, and then his daughter gets in,"

I think enough reasonable doubt can be created, and it can be cast that the parents were simply manipulating within an already broken system, and weren't even aware they were committing crimes.

I'd almost buy that explanation myself.

The IRS ain’t gonna buy that explanation. They are going to disallow these charitable deductions, assses additional taxes, penalties and interest. If they bitch, the IRS will threaten criminal fraud charges. I worked for the IRS for a year. Like the FBI, they are methodical.

Oh, I agree with all of this.

But I was talking about criminal charges against the parents.

I think the parents only get some kind of suspended sentence, pay a fine, and of course pay IRS penalties/interest/whatever on the bogus charitable deductions.

Yes, the public wants blood regarding this, but if there are real prison sentences handed down against the ringleader and his accomplices at the colleges (as well as the bogus test-takers), I think that will be enough for most people to feel justice was done.