Lifetime Will Produce a Movie About the College Admissions Scandal
The college admissions scandal will be coming to the small screen.
The Lifetime network announced on Tuesday that it was greenlighting a new movie based on the high-profile scandal. The working title is College Admissions Scandal, but the network acknowledges that the title may change.
The movie will follow two wealthy mothers who share an obsession with getting their teenagers into the best possible college. When charismatic college admissions consultant Rick Singer offers a side door into the prestigious institutions of their dreams, they willingly partake with visions of coveted acceptance letters in their heads.
But when Singer cooperates with the FBI and pleads guilty, the mothers must face the consequences of their actions and the loss of trust and respect from their families.
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Production on the movie is beginning, the network says in a press release.
On March 12, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts announced that it had charged 50 people, including Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin, and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, in the cheating scandal. Along with coaches, admissions counselors and fellow parents, they were accused of alleged crimes such as falsifying SAT scores and lying about the athletic skills of their children.
Huffman was arrested and charged for paying $15,000 to facilitate cheating on daughter Sofia’s SAT test by having a proctor correct the teen’s answers. She pleaded guilty to her role in the college admissions scandal on May 13.
Prosecutors alleged that Loughlin and her husband paid $500,000 to admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer and his nonprofit organization, Key Worldwide Foundation (“KWF”), which prosecutors said was actually a front for accepting bribes, to have their 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.” (Neither Olivia Jade, 19, and Isabella Rose, 20, are listed on the USC women’s rowing roster.)
Loughlin and Giannulli were indicted on an additional charge of fraud and money laundering in April. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison for each charge.
The couple pleaded not guilty after turning down a plea deal because it included jail time. Their attorneys have not returned PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
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It’s unclear whether the fictionalized story will center around the two actresses or other people involved in the case.
The film will be executive produced by Gail Katz and Howard Braunstein. Adam Salky will direct from a script by Stephen Tolkin. An airdate has not yet been announced.
