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Lori Loughlin Expected to Plead Guilty via Zoom in College Admissions Case Lori Loughlin Pleads Guilty via Zoom in College Admissions Case
(about 2 hours later)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The actress Lori Loughlin is expected to plead guilty on Friday in the college admissions case, a dramatic turnaround after more than a year of maintaining her innocence. If a federal judge accepts her plea, she is anticipated to receive a sentence of two months in prison under an agreement reached with prosecutors. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The actress Lori Loughlin pleaded guilty on Friday in the college admissions case, a dramatic turnaround after more than a year of maintaining her innocence. If a federal judge accepts her plea, she is anticipated to receive a sentence of two months in prison under an agreement reached with prosecutors.
Prosecutors accused Ms. Loughlin, 55, and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, 56, a fashion designer, of paying a college consultant $500,000 to secure their two daughters’ admissions to the University of Southern California as crew recruits, despite neither girl participating in the sport. Prosecutors said Ms. Loughlin, 55, and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, 56, a fashion designer, paid a college consultant $500,000 to secure their two daughters’ admissions to the University of Southern California as crew recruits, despite neither girl participating in the sport. Mr. Giannulli also changed his plea to guilty during the hearing on Friday.
Ms. Loughlin and Mr. Giannulli are expected to appear before the judge, Nathaniel M. Gorton of the District of Massachusetts, via videoconference, because of restrictions put in place related to the coronavirus pandemic. Ms. Loughlin and Mr. Giannulli appeared before the judge, Nathaniel M. Gorton of the District of Massachusetts, via videoconference, because of restrictions put in place related to the coronavirus pandemic. Ms. Loughlin and Mr. Giannulli appeared separately, each seated beside a lawyer, during a hearing that was punctuated by technical complications and requests that participants “unmute” their microphones.
Ms. Loughlin, best known for playing Aunt Becky on the 1990s sitcom “Full House,” was one of the highest-profile people ensnared in the sweeping admissions case, in which more than 50 people have been charged and more than 30 have pleaded guilty. Ms. Loughlin, best known for playing Aunt Becky on the 1990s sitcom “Full House,” was one of the highest-profile people ensnared in the sweeping admissions case, in which more than 50 people have been charged and more than 30 have pleaded guilty. Ms. Loughlin and Mr. Giannulli, who wore dark clothing and looked somber, answered questions from the judge, but said little else during the hearing.
The other prominent actress charged in the case, Felicity Huffman, who was accused of paying the same consultant to inflate her daughter’s SAT score, pleaded guilty soon after she was arrested and served 11 days in a minimum-security federal prison camp in the San Francisco Bay Area.The other prominent actress charged in the case, Felicity Huffman, who was accused of paying the same consultant to inflate her daughter’s SAT score, pleaded guilty soon after she was arrested and served 11 days in a minimum-security federal prison camp in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Under the deal with prosecutors, Ms. Loughlin is expected to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and Mr. Giannulli is expected to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud. Prosecutors will drop charges of money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. Under the deal with prosecutors, Ms. Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and Mr. Giannulli pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud.
If the judge accepts the pleas, Ms. Loughlin will, in addition to serving two months in prison, pay a $150,000 fine and do 100 hours of community service. Mr. Giannulli, who prosecutors say was more involved in the scheme, will serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine and do 250 hours of community service. If the judge accepts the pleas, Ms. Loughlin will, in addition to serving two months in prison, pay a $150,000 fine and do 100 hours of community service. Mr. Giannulli, who prosecutors say was more involved in the scheme, will serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine and do 250 hours of community service. A formal sentencing hearing was set for August.