Lori Loughlin’s ‘Intentions Were Pure’ While Helping Her Daughters Fake Their Way Into USC

It’s the thought that counts? Lori Loughlin reportedly “believed her heart was in the right place” when she allegedly paid bribes in exchange for her daughters’ college education.

“Lori is a really great mom who is completely into her kids and family life,” a source told Us Weekly. “She lives and breathes for her husband and children. … Her intentions were pure.”

The Fuller House actress, 54, and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, allegedly “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters [20-year-old daughter Isabella and 19-year-old daughter Olivia] designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC,” and were indicted on March 12.

“Listen, I am not their friend,” Loughlin told Us Weekly in 2016 about her daughters. “I am here. I am their mother. I’m here to guide them, and I think that is first and foremost. Look, I try to instill good values and be a good person, and for the most part, I have to say that my girls, they are good people. They are good people. They have good hearts.”

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The New York native added that she is strict but wouldn’t consider herself a helicopter parent. “I would say that I am loving but that I am firm,” she said. “I would say that … I am available, and they have access to me. I am involved, but I am not hovering. I’m there to guide. I think I’m funny, but they don’t. But I still make that joke. They kind of roll their eyes at me, but I am funny. I’m funny! And they’re like, ‘No, you’re not.’ But anyways, we have fun. We have a good time together.”

In August 2018, Olivia talked about how she was really only in college for “game days” and “partying” and wasn’t serious about her education. The YouTube star later apologized for her remarks. “I don’t know how much of school I’m gonna attend, but I’m gonna go in and talk to my deans and everyone, and hope that I can try and balance it all … But I do want the experience … I don’t really care about school, as you guys all know,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lori wasn’t the only Hollywood star part involved in the fraudulent scheme — Hollywood A-lister Felicity Huffman was also arrested.