Actress Lori Loughlin and fashion designer husband plead guilty to college admissions bribery
21 May 2020, 18:02
Actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli are to plead guilty to charges in a college admissions bribery case, according to court papers.
The couple agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in a plea agreement filed on Thursday in Boston's US federal court.
Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters into the University of Southern California as rowing team recruits, even though neither of them played the sport.
Loughlin will serve two months in prison, pay $150,000 in fines, have two years of supervised release and must complete 100 hours of community service.
Her husband will serve five months in prison, pay $250,000 and must complete 250 hours of community service.
Prosecutors have agreed to dismiss charges of money laundering and federal programmes bribery that were added after the case was filed.
"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," said United States Attorney Andrew Lelling.
"We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions."
A lawyer for the couple declined to comment.
Loughlin and Giannulli previously pleaded not guilty and firmly insisted on their innocence even as other parents reached deals with prosecutors.
The couple are the 23rd and 24th parents to plead guilty in the case.
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