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Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli Are ‘Bracing Themselves for Prison’ Amid Guilty Plea Deal
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli are “bracing themselves for prison” amid their guilty plea deal in their college admissions scandal case, a source exclusively tells In Touch. “It’s not going to be easy for them — especially Lori, who’s used to living very comfortably and having it all.”
“Lori and Mossimo tried everything to get out of this, but in the end, they knew they’d lose at trial,” the insider says.
On May 21, the parents to Isabella and Olivia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, according to a press release from the United States Department of Justice. Additionally, Giannulli, 56, also pleaded guilty to honest service wire and mail fraud in exchange for five months in prison, a $250,000 fine and two years of supervised release with 250 hours of community service. As for Loughlin, 55, she will be sentenced to two months in prison, a $150,000 fine and two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service, depending on the court’s approval. Their court date was held on Friday, May 22, via video conference due to the coronavirus outbreak. The couple sat with their lawyers as prosecutors read the evidence against them that would have been raised during a trial. Their sentencing will be held on Friday, August 21.
“Lori is relieved, embarrassed and frightened,” another source exclusively told In Touch following their guilty plea. “She and Mossimo were so adamant about their innocence, but the pressures of the trial and the thought of spending years behind bars finally wore them down.”
Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters as recruits to the USC crew team,” according to court documents obtained by In Touch. Bella, 21, and Olivia, 20, had never played the sport although they applied to the university as varsity athletes.
Prior to the Full House alum’s guilty plea, federal prosecutors released photos of two women, whom officials identified as Bella and Olivia, posing on rowing equipment that were submitted in their USC applications on April 8. With the release of the incriminating evidence, the girls “begged” Loughlin to “plead guilty or make some kind of deal if it’s not too late,” a third another source told In Touch.
In March 2019, Loughlin and Giannulli, along with 15 other parents, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in connection with the college admissions scandal. In April 2019, they pleaded not guilty to the charges. In October of that year, they were hit with additional charges of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. They continued to plead not guilty until they finally admitted to their involvement in May.
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