The college admissions scandal finally has its biggest hold-outs plead guilty. “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, took a plea deal in the college admissions bribery case, according to court papers filed Thursday.
#BREAKING: Lori Loughlin & Mossimo Giannulli plead guilty to conspiracy charges in connection w/ the #CollegeAdmissionsScandal. Sentencing for Loughlin set for Aug. 21 at 2:30 pm and for Giannulli on Aug. 21 at 11 am.
— U.S. Attorney Massachusetts (@DMAnews1) May 22, 2020
Loughlin, 55, has agreed to serve two months behind bars and Giannulli, 56, has agreed to serve five months under the deal. They are scheduled to plead guilty Friday via video conference and it must be approved by the judge.
“Under the plea agreements filed today, 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,” U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a statement to the Associated Press. “We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions.”
Felicity Huffman got 2 weeks jail time, paid a $30,000 fine & 250 hrs of community service. Lori Loughlin gets plea deal, agrees to 2 mos. in prison. Tanya McDowell got 12 yrs for the same crime as Felicity & Lori: “Stealing” an education. That, ladies & gents is white privilege.
— 𝓇𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓈 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓈𝓂𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 💩 (@That1991Vibe) May 21, 2020
Originally, the couple was scheduled to go to trial in October. The charges were that they paid $500,000 in bribes to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew team recruits.
Actor Lori Loughlin and her husband have agreed to plead guilty in the U.S. college admissions scandal. Loughlin is to serve 2 months in jail and Mossimo Giannulli will serve 5 months, and both will pay fines. News release says they are the 23rd and 24th parents to plead guilty: pic.twitter.com/X622hyTvOf
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) May 21, 2020
However, neither of them played the sport and the parents helped create fake athletic profiles for their daughters. In coordination with the ringleader, “admissions consultant”, Rick Singer, photos were supplied of the teens posing on rowing machines.
The Last Holdouts
The couple were some of the last holdouts in the federal operation known as “Varsity Blues”. They stated that they believed the payments were “legitimate donations” that would go directly to USC as a fundraising gift or to Singer’s charity. They also accused prosecutors of hiding crucial evidence proving their innocence.
Lori Loughlin & Mossimo Giannulli scheduled to plead guilty on Friday, May 22 at 11:30 a.m.
— U.S. Attorney Massachusetts (@DMAnews1) May 21, 2020
Earlier this month, the judge rejected their bid to dismiss the case over allegations of misconduct by FBI agents.
They agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in a plea agreement. Giannulli will also plead guilty to a charge of honest services wire and mail fraud, prosecutors said. Prosecutors have agreed to dismiss charges of money laundering and federal programs bribery. Those charges were added after the case was filed.
* so #LoriLoughlin is only gonna serve 2 months in jail?
oh, okay. pic.twitter.com/MFz1PGTWF7
— 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬,𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜. (@StevieDerrick_) May 21, 2020
Under Loughlin’s plea deal, she will also pay a $150,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service. Giannulli has agreed to pay a $250,000 fine and perform 250 hours of community service.
Loughlin and Giannulli were among 50 people arrested last year. They are the 23rd and 24th parents to plead guilty in the case.
