Actress Lori Loughlin, her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, and 14 other parents were indicted on Tuesday on money laundering and mail fraud charges, the latest development in the sweeping college admissions bribery scheme.

It comes a day after actress Felicity Huffman, 12 other parents and a coach originally charged in the case agreed to plead guilty - signaling an escalation in the case against the parents who are continuing to fight the allegations against them.

The scandal involves 33 wealthy parents accused of participating in a scheme that involved rigging college entrance exams and bribing coaches at elite universities to secure places for their children.

Loughlin and her husband were initially arrested last month on a single charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Tuesday's indictment adds a charge of money laundering conspiracy against the couple and 14 other parents.

Amy and Gregory Colburn, a California couple accused of paying $25,000 (£19,000) to cheat on their son's SAT, were indicted on the money laundering and mail fraud conspiracy charges last month.