Lori Loughlin and Husband Mossimo Giannulli Plead Not Guilty to All Charges in College Admissions Scandal
They’re going to fight it! On Monday, April 15, Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, filed pleas in the criminal case against them — and they’re pleading not guilty to all charges. The college admissions scandal first broke back on March 12, and on April 8, Lori’s fellow actress and one of the other parents allegedly involved in the scheme, Felicity Huffman, agreed to plead guilty. Lori, however, seemed to deny entering into a plea deal and was instead hit with more charges on April 9. In new documents obtained by In Touch, the former Hallmark actress is now pushing back.
“Ms. Loughlin and her counsel affirm that Ms. Loughlin has received a copy of the Second Superseding Indictment and that Ms. Loughlin pleads not guilty to each of the charges against her,” read the filings. Mossimo’s read much the same, also indicating that “Mr. Giannulli pleads not guilty to each of the charges against him.” Thanks to the additional accounts added on April 9, those charges include “conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to use bribery to cheat on college entrance exams and to facilitate their children’s admission to selective colleges and universities as purported athletic recruits.”
Both Lori and Mossimo were already charged with “conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.” When they appeared in court on April 3, they learned they could face up to 20 years in federal prison, 3 years probation and a $250,000 fine — and that was before they were indicted a second time. The star has already started to face consequences for her alleged actions, however, including having her character cut from When Calls the Heart on Hallmark. “We are saddened by the recent news surrounding the college admissions allegations,” they said at the time. “We are no longer working with Lori Loughlin.”
Additionally, Hallmark announced that they “have stopped development of all productions that air on the Crown Media Family Network channels involving Lori Loughlin including Garage Sale Mysteries, an independent third party production.” The charges have also taken a toll on Lori’s health, with an insider telling In Touch, “Lori is losing weight. She looks skinnier than ever. It’s not good. The case is definitely getting to her. … [She] is under tremendous pressure, and it’s starting to show.”
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