Huffman was among dozens charged by the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office on March 12, 2019, in a nationwide college entrance exam cheating scandal. Prosecutors alleged that Huffman's $15,000 donation to the Key Worldwide Foundation, ostensibly a charitable contribution, was in fact payment to a person who pretended to be Huffman's daughter, took the SAT for her, and received a score greatly improved from the daughter's score on the Preliminary SAT (PSAT). Huffman was arrested on March 12, charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, and released on $250,000 bail. At her court appearance in Boston on April 3, she acknowledged her rights, charges, and maximum possible penalties; she waived a pretrial hearing, signed conditions of her release, and was allowed to leave. On April 8, she agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Huffman formally pleaded guilty to honest services fraud on May 13, 2019, and on September 13 she was sentenced to 14 days in jail. Upon her release she will receive one year of supervised release. She was also fined $30,000 and ordered to undertake 250 hours of community service. On October 15, 2019, Huffman reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, to begin her sentence. She was meant to be released from prison on October 27, 2019 but was released 2 days early because October 27 fell on a weekend.
