Felicity Huffman's concerned husband arrives at courthouse after armed FBI arrest

Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin – along with over 40 others – have been charged with alleged involvement in a US-wide cheating and fraud scandal, labelled as the “largest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice”.

Following the arrest of Huffman, Deadline reports the actress has been released on bail having to pay a $250,000 bond and surrendering her passport whilst also staying at the Los Angeles courthouse for the time being.

William H. Macy, Huffman’s husband, was seen arriving at a federal building in Los Angeles while she was being questioned over the allegations.

Macy appeared distraught as he went through security to enter the building.

Huffman is reportedly set to appear in a Boston court later this month for a preliminary hearing.

Earlier on, according to TMZ, seven federal agents turned up at Huffman’s house with “guns drawn” to arrest her on Tuesday morning.

The actress was reportedly asleep in her Los Angeles home with her husband and their three daughters when the agents ordered her to “come out and surrender”.

The publication also reports Huffman was aware the arrest was set to happen and was set to “surrender on her own, but the feds saw it differently”.

Meanwhile The Blast reports Loughlin is set to fly back to Los Angles from Canada.

The actress is hoping to avoid being arrested at LAX as she wants a “safe passage” through the airport to be able to talk with her lawyers before surrendering.

Huffman and Loughlin allegedly paid to get their daughters into elite colleges, according to court documents.

It has been claimed the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) and the FBI have set out to arrest 46 individuals across the USA, after uncovering a $25 million ($35 million AUD) fraud scheme which includes allegedly faking test scores.

According to the arrest warrant, Desperate Housewives star Huffman, and her Shameless star husband William H. Macy, who doesn’t seem to be facing arrest at this stage, allegedly “made a purported charitable contribution of $15,000 to college prep company KWF to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter,” Sophia Grace Macy.

The KWF (Key Worldwide Foundation) is reportedly a fake charity owned by Rick Singer.

The owner allegedly told the couple that “he ‘controlled’ a testing centre, and could arrange for a third party to purport to proctor their daughter’s SAT and secretly correct her answers afterwards, and the couple agreed.” The teen received 1420 on her SATs, which was a 400 increase over her previous score, the documents claim.

According to the court papers, 56-year-old Huffman also made arrangements to pursue the scheme a second time for their younger daughter Georgia, 16, but she allegedly changed her mind.

Among the others involved in the nationwide scam and also facing arrest is 54-year-old Loughlin, fan favourite Aunt Becky from Full House and Fuller House.

A mum of two daughters with designer Mossimo Giannulli – the creator of the Mossimo clothing line – she allegedly “agreed to pay bribes totalling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters” — Isabella Rose Giannulli and Olivia Jade Giannulli — “designated as recruits to the [University of Souther California] crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC,” the documents stated.

Isabella, 20, and Olivia, 19, are often with Loughlin on the red carpet — including just last month — and have found degrees of social media stardom. Olivia has over a million Instagram followers, thanks to her glamour shots giving followers a look into the life of a celeb kid.

Huffman and Loughlin are expected to be among the dozens arrested as part of this alleged scheme. Other famous people — potentially from the entertainment business — could follow.

It’s obviously a buzzy conversation on social media today with many — including Megyn Kelly weighing in.

A rep for Loughlin told Yahoo Entertainment US she didn’t immediately have a comment while Huffman and Macy’s spokesperson has not yet responded to our inquiry.

Reporting by Olivia Morris and Suzy Byrne.

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