Actor Lori Loughlin and her husband are facing new conspiracy and money laundering charges stemming from a federal investigation in an alleged college bribery racket.

U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday unveiled new indictments against 16 parents charged with funneling payments to secure their children spots at elite universities.

The fresh charges come a day after 14 defendants, including "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman, pleaded guilty to taking part in the scam, masterminded by California college admissions consultant William "Rick" Singer.

Reuters editor Scott Malone is in Boston.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS EDITOR SCOTT MALONE, SAYING: "All of the charges, the initial charges and the fresh charges carry potential jail sentences of as much as 20 years in federal prison.

That's the high end of the sentencing range.

For the 14 people charged today with additional crimes, it increases their legal risk, but they're also opting to maintain their innocence and to fight and perhaps to be acquitted." Loughlin and her husband, Massimo Giannulli, are accused of paying $500,000 to get their daughters admitted to USC as members of the crew team, though neither daughter rowed competitively.

Prosecutors have not yet charged any of the students, and said that in some cases the parents involved took steps to try to hide the scheme from their kids.

Singer last month pleaded guilty to facilitating the cheating scam and bribing coaches to present the parents' children as fake athletic recruits.