In College Admissions Brouhaha, the Longest Sentence Yet

Toby MacFarlane gets 6 months behind bars in California
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 14, 2019 9:40 AM CST
In College Admissions Brouhaha, the Longest Sentence Yet
In this April 2, 2019, file photo, Toby MacFarlane departs federal court in Boston.   (AP Photos/Michael Dwyer, file)

Felicity Huffman has served her time, Lori Loughlin awaits her own fate, and an ex-California real estate executive has been hit with the longest prison sentence yet in the college admissions scandal. Per NBC News, six months behind bars was the sentence given Wednesday to Toby MacFarlane, 56, who was accused of handing over bribes to help get his two kids into the University of Southern California. He pleaded guilty in June to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. In addition to the jail time, MacFarlane will have to fork over a $150,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service, per a Justice Department release; he'll be under two years of supervision once he's out of prison.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that MacFarlane is the 13th parent to be sentenced. His sentence edges out that of a California winemaker who was sentenced last month to five months. Prosecutors had pushed for 15 months in prison for MacFarlane, who paid $450,000 to arrange for his daughter to get into the university as a soccer recruit, and his son as a basketball player. Neither of his children ever played those sports. Meanwhile, a source tells Us Weekly the "stress is only mounting" for Loughlin, who reportedly could get 10 years behind bars if she pleads guilty before a January pretrial hearing—instead of a potential 50-year sentence, per the Mercury News—but that guilty plea would entail something Loughlin doesn't want to do: testify against her husband, Mossimo Giannulli. (A columnist think it's "nuts" that Loughlin faces serious jail time.)

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