AceShowbiz - Felicity Huffman's daughters "exploded" when they found out their mother bribed education officials in a bid to secure a top university spot for her eldest child, Sofia.

Huffman faces up to 30 days in federal prison and a fine of $20,000 (£16,300) after she pleaded guilty to attempting to rig a college entrance exam to help her eldest child win a place at an elite university, and admitted to paying thousands to have someone illegally correct her daughter's test answers.

But in a letter to the judge presiding over the case, the actress' husband William H. Macy described how his 56-year-old wife's relationship with Sofia and her sister Georgia, 17, "exploded on March 12th" as the news became public.

"Rebuilding that relationship will be a long process," he wrote, "But I also want you to know Felicity has raised two amazing young women."

Explaining why he believes the "Otherhood" star took such desperate measures to ensure her daughter succeeded, he highlighted her tough upbringing and "sometimes violent" relationship with her own mother, adding: "She moved to Los Angeles for a year when she was 15 years old to pursue acting."

"She put herself in high school and found her way to auditions and classes all on her own. I think the result of her unstructured upbringing was a determination that her children would always have a mother there backing them up."

William was one of 27 of Felicity's family and friends who wrote to the judge, with her former "Desperate Housewives" co-star Eva Longoria also lauding her "gentle character and kind heart."

The case is part of a federal investigation resulting in the indictment of 50 people, which also included "Fuller House" star Lori Loughlin, over an alleged nationwide bribery network aimed at gaming college admissions to favour wealthy participants.