Lori Loughlin formally pleads guilty to bribing her daughters’ way into USC as part of college admissions scandal
LORI Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli have plead guilty in the college admissions scandal.
The former Full House actress, 55, plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud via a video conference on Friday.
Giannulli, a 56-year-old fashion designer, plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud.
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced on Thursday that as part of Loughlin's plea deal, she's agreed to a sentence of two months in prison, a $150,000 fine, and two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service.
Giannulli’s plea agreement includes five months in prison, a $250,000 fine, and two years of supervised release with 250 hours of community service.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
"Under the plea agreements filed, these defendants will serve prison terms reflecting their respective roles in a conspiracy to corrupt the college admissions process and which are consistent with prior sentences in this case," US Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a statement.
"We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions."
The couple — who previously pleaded not guilty and firmly claimed their innocence — are the 23rd and 24th parents to plead guilty in the college admissions case.
They were scheduled to go on trial in October on charges they paid $500,000 to get their daughters — Olivia Jade, 20, and Isabella Rose, 21 — into the University of Southern California.
Six other wealthy parents that have been accused in the college admissions scheme were supposed to stand trial with them, while another six parents are scheduled to face trial in January 2021.
In March, Loughlin, Giannulli, and other parents involved in the case urged a judge to dismiss the charges against them, and accused prosecutors of “extraordinary” misconduct.
Their defense said prosecutors withheld evidence that would support the parents' claim that they believed their payments were legitimate donations that would help benefit the schools — rather than bribes for coaches or officials.
They said their evidence, which were notes from the phone of the scheme’s admitted mastermind, admissions consultant Rick Singer, was not given to the defense until February.
Singer wrote in his notes that FBI agents yelled at him and told him to lie to get parents to say things in recorded phone calls that could be used against them, and wrote that FBI agents told him to say that he told parents the payments were bribes.
Last month, pictures of Loughlin's daughters posing on rowing machines were submitted as part of the Memorandum in Opposition that was filed in the case by prosecutors and obtained by The Sun.
Olivia and Isabella can be seen posing on the devices, which according to court documents they had never used before in their lives.
A source told UsWeekly that Olivia was "really embarrassed" by the publication of the picture and realized that if she began posting again on Instagram, "everyone would be shading her" in the comments section.
And a copy of Olivia's alleged resume, also released by prosecutors, portrayed her as a "highly talented" athlete who had won several rowing competitions.