William H. Macy was not charged in college cheating scandal like his wife Felicity Huffman because he did not organize the logistics of daughter’s fraudulent SAT and she wired the payment – but he may not be off the hook yet
- William H Macy managed to avoid being charged in the massive college cheating scandal that brought down his wife Felicity Huffman
- Huffman had allegedly facilitated where and when her older daughter would be taking an SAT that would then be falsified
- Huffman also agreed to and sent a $15,000 wire payment to a charity to pay off the proctor after this, according to court documents
- Macy was involved in the younger daughter’s test, and agreed to a plan similar to the one his wife employed with their other daughter
- The younger did not need the help in the end though, making it hard to substantiate a mail fraud charge, which carries a sentence of up to five years
- Macy could still be charged, and is not identified in court documents but instead referred to as Huffman’s ‘spouse’
William H. Macy has his younger daughter’s aptitude for standardized testing to thank for getting him off the hook in the massive college cheating scandal that brought down dozens of parents and college coaches on Tuesday.
Among them was Macy’s wife Felicity Huffman, who is charged with mail fraud and facing five years in prison after she was recorded both facilitating her older daughter’s fraudulent SAT and then agreeing to and wiring a $15,000 payment in the wake of the exam.
Federal documents show that while Huffman worked alone to iron out the details of the first test, Macy was aware of the situation and the payment came from the couple’s joint account.
He in turn took a more active role in organizing the younger daughter’s fradulent SAT, agreeing to the money and a set place and time much like his wife had done one year prior with their other child.
In that case however, the couple’s daughter achieved the results she had hoped for on her own and the mastermind behind the operation was informed that she would not be needing to submit a fraudulent score.
This does not mean Macy will not be charged down the line in the case.
That would explain why Macy was not identified by name in court documents filed Tuesday and instead referred to as Huffman’s spouse.
Farg-off: William H Macy (above on Tuesday) managed to avoid being charged in the amssive college cheating scandal that brought down his wife
A simple plan: Huffman (left on Tuesday, Macy on right) had facilitated where and when her older daughter would be taking an SAT that would then be falsifie
Desperate housewife: Huffman (above on Tuesday) also agreed to and sent a $15,00 wire payment to a charity to pay off the proctor after this according to court documents
Huffman paid a $15,000 ‘charitable contribution ‘to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her eldest daughter,’ states the complaint.
‘Huffman later made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time, for her younger daughter, before deciding not to do so,’ according to the documents.
The charging documents state that Huffman had the site where he daughter took the SATs moved from her own high school to a test center West Hollywood.
That was to avoid a teacher proctoring the test that knew the girl, who had also applied for and received extended time to take the test.
The girl’s test was then administered by a proctor who had flown in from Tampa and told investigators that he ‘facilitated cheating, either by correcting the student’s answers after the test or by actively assisting the student during the exam.’
That proctor, Mark Ridell, has also been charged.
In this case, Huffman’s daughter scored a 1420, which was a 400 point improvement from her PSAT results just one year prior.
Soon after the proctor was paid $40,000 by Key Worldwide Foundation, the same organization that Huffman would later give a $15,000 donation to, according to the documents.
The way they were: Macy was involved in the younger daughter’s test, and agreed to a plan similar to the one his wife employed with their other daughter
The documents also include the transcript of a phone call between Huffman and the individual who facilitated the test in which she admits that her older daughter had assistance and expresses her desire for her younger daughter to get similar help.
In a follow up call just this past December, Huffman and her unnamed spouse spoke about their daughter wanting to get into Georgetown.
It was then decided that the young girl would take the exam twice, one on her own and once with help, to ensure she got the score necessary to get her into Georgetown, it is claimed.
Then, at the last second, the couple decided not to have their daughter take the test with assistance.
Macy appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon to support his wife, and was seen arriving with a lawyer.