Lori Loughlin apologized for her role in the bribery scandal that shocked the public last year.
“I made a terrible decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process,” the 56-year-old actress said in court on Friday, shortly after she was sentenced to two months in federal prison.
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“In doing so, I ignored my intuition and let go of my moral compass,” Loughlin admitted before U.S. Judge Nathaniel Gorton. “I thought I was acting out of love for my children, but in reality it undermined and diminished the capacities and achievements of my daughters.”
Actress Lori Loughlin, center, poses with daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli, left, and Isabella Rose Giannulli at ‘An Unforgettable Evening’ in 2019 in Beverly Hills, California on February 28, 2019. (Chris Pizzello / Invisation / AP)
Loughlin and her husband of fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, 57, were accused of paying $ 500,000 to William “Rick” Singer, the founder of The Edge College & Career Network, which reported monetary fines from parents to colleges.
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The scam successfully got Loughlin and Giannulli’s two daughters, Isabella Rose Giannulli, 21, and Olivia Jade Giannulli, 20, accepted into the University of Southern California under false crew. Both girls had the sport competitive.
One of Lori Loughlin’s daughters seems to be using an ERG machine in this photo obtained by Fox News. (US District Court of Massachusetts)
When released, Loughlin will be overseen for two years and will have to serve 100 hours of community service. She was also ordered to pay a $ 150,000 fine.
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Giannulli faced a steeper sentence of five months in prison, two years of probation and 250 hours of community service for his part in the bribery scandal. He will have to pay a fine of $ 250,000.
Actress Lori Loughlin, front, and her husband, clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli, left, leaving federal court in Boston on this photo from April 3, 2019. (AP photo / Steven Senne)
The difference in the couple’s conviction comes from the fact that Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to plead wire and postal fraud in May, while her husband pleaded guilty to the same charge plus one count of honest services wire and postal fraud.
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Despite the high-profile sentence, Loughlin shared that she understood her decision “helped to increase the existing inequalities in society, in general, and the higher education system, more specifically.”
“That realization weighs heavily on me and although I wish I could go back and do things differently, I can only take responsibility and move forward. I have great faith in God and I believe in salvation,” Loughlin said. “I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good and give back for the rest of my life.”
