There’s been a shocking twist in the ongoing legal struggle of actress Lori Loughlin, who was arrested as part of the college admissions bribery scandal back in March of 2019.
Loughlin pled not guilty at the time, and she’s been maintaining her innocence ever since.
Today, however, Lori and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, both pled guilty to allegations that they used bribes and fraudulent information to ensure their two daughters’ admission to USC.
According to the terms of a plea deal reached in Boston today, Loughlin will serve two months in prison as a result of her crimes.
Giannulli apparently accepted the majority of the responsibility, as he will be sentenced to five months once the couple goes in front of a judge.
Loughlin will also pay a $150,000 fine and have two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service.
Similarly, Giannulli will be forced to pay a $250,000 fine and undergo two years of supervised release with 250 hours of community service.
It’s unclear at the moment exactly what led Lori and Mossimo to change their tune and enter guilty pleas.
As recently as March, Loughlin claimed to be the victim of a conspiracy as her lawyers entered evidence which they claimed was proof she thought she was making a donation, not offering a bribe.
As evidence mounted against the couple, however, insiders claimed that Loughlin became terrified by the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence.
At one point, those familiar with the case being built by prosecutors indicated that she might be facing as much as 50 years behind bars.
Perhaps the couple was offered one last chance at accepting a plea deal before their case went to trial.
Or perhaps prison overcrowding concerns caused by the coronavirus led prosecutors to offer a sweeter deal than had previously been on the table.
Whatever the case, Lori and Mossimo will both enter guilty pleas on conspiracy charges in a Boston courtroom on Friday, this according to a press release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts.
“We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling in a press release.
Loughlin and Giannulli are the 23rd and 24th suspects to plead guilty after being ensnared in the FBI’s Varsity Blues sting operation last year.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.