In a crowded Boston courtroom Wednesday, Hollywood actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman made their first formal appearance, along with eight other parents, for their alleged involvement in the massive college admissions scandal.
Loughlin, who arrived for her court appearance in Boston on Tuesday night, appeared to be upbeat. PEOPLE reported the Fuller House actress signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans. Arriving to the courthouse Wednesday morning in a camel-colored pantsuit with a gray t-shirt and dark-rimmed glasses, Loughlin appeared to still be in a positive mood, as she smiled and waved at fans.
WATCH: Actress Lori Loughlin arrives at court to face charges in the #collegeadmissionsscandal pic.twitter.com/eSM8zB4FKb
— WBZ | CBS Boston News (@wbz) April 3, 2019
“Hi guys,” Loughlin said to a group of fans, who yelled back, “We love you!”
Her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, dressed in a dark suit and green tie, was more somber.
Loughlin shook hands with prosecutors before she and Giannulli took their seats in front of Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley. When her case was called, Loughlin, along with her husband, listened as the charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud were formerly read against them.
When the judge asked if Loughlin understood the charges, the actress affirmed, “Yes, your honor.” She and Giannulli left the court without entering pleas.
Huffman had entered the courthouse nearly three hours before her hearing was set to start, wearing a black pantsuit and an emerald blouse. She sat in court with her brother, but her husband, actor William H. Macy, who has not been charged in this case, was not in attendance, ABC News reports.
After appearing in federal court in Boston on Wednesday in the college bribery case, actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman signed bail condition papers and left the courthouse. https://t.co/XmIvI6gtZn pic.twitter.com/54zUducIeS
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 3, 2019
After being read the charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, Huffman was asked by the judge if she understood the charges, to which she replied, “Yes, your honor.”
Loughlin, Giannulli and Huffman also agreed to several pre-trial conditions, including surrendering their passports and no possession of firearms, PEOPLE reports.
Of the 35 parents charged in the scam reportedly spearheaded by William “Rick” Singer, the actresses are the highest profile defendants in the college admissions scandal, dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues” by federal investigators.
According to ABC News, Singer was the owner of the college counseling service and fake charity called Key Worldwide Foundation, which allegedly accepted bribes totaling $25 million from parents between 2011 and 2018 “to guarantee their children’s admission to elite schools.”
Singer pleaded guilty last month to charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice.
According to federal prosecutors, Loughlin wanted her daughters to get into the University of Southern California (USC). Loughlin and Giannulli then paid bribes to have their daughters falsely presented as student athletes, with Singer and his company creating fake student athlete profiles, including “action” photos of their daughters on rowing machines.
The complaint alleges that Loughlin and Giannulli “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.”
According to court documents, Huffman, known for her role in the television show Desperate Housewives, allegedly gave $15,000 to Singer’s fake charity “to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of their oldest daughter.”
“Huffman later made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time, for her younger daughter, before deciding not to do so,” per court documents.
No further court date has been set for Loughlin, Giannulli or Huffman.