Lori Loughlin and her husband lived a prosperous, “fairytale life” and yet “brought their daughters their way into college,” a federal judge said Friday when he sentenced her to two months in prison.
The “Full House” actress appeared dismayed when she apologized.
‘I’m really, deeply and deeply sorry. I am ready to face the consequences and make changes, ”said Loughlin. ‘I made a terrible decision. I have allowed myself to move from my moral compass. ”
Loughlin’s husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, was sentenced earlier Friday to five months in prison.
The defense casts the actress as a bit of a player in the schedule.
“She’s sorry,” defense attorney BJ Trach said. “Of all the parents accused in this investigation, not one had less involvement.”
Prosecutors agreed that Giannulli was the activating parent in the scheme, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin O’Connell called Loughlin “completely complicated.”
“Loughlin agreed that false athletic profiles would be created for her daughters so that they could be recruited as coxswains in a sport they did not play,” O’Connell said.
Loughlin, appearing on a Zoom call for her condemnation of hearing in a white button-down blouse, ran her hair straight and kept her gaze focused on the screen when she did not deliver her assigned episode.
Not satisfied with the distinct advantages of her family, “Loughlin opted for cheating,” O’Connell said. “She stole two admission places from more deserving students.”
Judge Nathaniel Gorton said he received two letters of support for Loughlin, but the defense denied a conviction for a conviction prior to the hearing.
Gorton declared himself “dumfounded” by Loughlin’s crime.
‘Here you are an admired, successful actor with a long-standing marriage, with two healthy capable children, more money than you might need, a fair life. Yet you stand for me a condemned crime. And for some reason, “Gorton asked.” For the inexplicable desire to understand even more. ”
In sentencing Giannulli, the judge called her actions “a breathtaking crime on the nation’s higher education system.”
The couple had paid $ 500,000 to scheme mastermind Rick Singer to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew recruits, though neither rowed. Friday’s sentence comes 17 months after the two were arrested.
“There is no mystery about the outcome,” Gorton said in sentencing Giannulli, the defense’s note made no attempt to argue with the government’s recommended sentence of five months in prison, two years of released under supervision, 250 hours of community service and a $ 250,000 fine.
Prosecutors both portrayed Giannulli as an activist in the scheme.
“Giannulli’s behavior in this case proves a complete disregard for right and wrong,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney said. “He went through this scheme not once, but twice.”
Giannulli, 57, “exposed his daughters to the scheme and kept them busy with it,” Kearney said, noting how Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose Giannulli were photographed on a rowing machine as part of fake coxswain profiles and encouraged to keep her admission to USC “hush, hush.”
One of the girls was instructed on “how to hide the scheme from her high school counselor”, noting a conviction note from a prosecutor. According to the memo, Loughlin called the adviser a ‘weasel’. Giannulli used a dissertation and called it “nosy.”
Loughlin and Giannulli each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and postal fraud. Still filed papers before the judge before being convicted of trying to influence his decision.
“This was not just an overzealous parent,” Kearney said. “It is punishable and deserves the proposed five-month prison sentence.”
Giannulli, appearing through video conference, briefed the judge:
‘I deeply regret the damage my actions have caused my daughters, my wife and others. I take full responsibility for my behavior and bearing. ”
The judge shrugged Giannulli for a crime “motivated by hubris.”
“You’re an informed, smart, successful businessman,” Gorton said. ‘You do not steal bread to feed your family. You have no excuse. ”
No argument from the defense.
“It makes sense to balance Mr Giannulli’s life with the crime he was convicted of,” said defense attorney Sean Berkowitz. “He’s humbled here today.”
Berkowitz cast Giannulli as a ‘good man’ who made mistakes.
‘He regrets bringing his wife deep into the scheme. His children have been bullied on both social media and in person in a way that is disproportionate to other children in this scheme, ”said Berkowitz. “His family has been the face of the scandal and the crisis.”
In dismissing the sentence, Judge Gorton said the crime “did not cause any specific, foreseeable loss to USC.” However, the judge said that “there was certainly a loss to the general education system of this country.”
They were accused among 50 suspects in the investigation called Varsity Blues, which found wealthy parents cheating on college applications and entrance exams to get their children to elite schools. In some cases, parents have bought coaches who falsified the history of student athletics, including a copy in which a photo of a real athlete was manipulated to look like one of the students, prosecutors said.
Upon pleading guilty, Loughlin and Giannulli dropped previous allegations that they believed their payments were legitimate donations. The couple maintained their innocence for more than a year, and pleaded not guilty again and again, as prosecutors added charges, including conspiracy to commit fraud, bribery and money laundering. She faced off first in April 2019 against a federal judge, when Loughlin was seen smiling, signing autographs and greeting fans.
The couple was scheduled to go on trial in October for their accusers. If the case went to trial in the fall, as planned, prosecutors said they would have used recorded phone calls, documents, emails and testimony to prove the couple’s guilt.
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