Lori Loughlin has 'hit rock bottom' and is 'terrified' she may be about to spend DECADES behind bars after being slapped with a new bribery charge in the college admissions scandal
Full House star Lori Loughlin is said to have hit ‘rock bottom’ and is ‘about to break’ ahead of her upcoming trial in the college admissions scandal, fearing she could be set to spend a long time behind bars.
Ever since she and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were accused of paying a $500,000 bribe for their daughters, Olivia Jade, 20, and Isabella Giannulli, 21, to be accepted into the University of South California, the couple are said to have tried to keep their family life as normal as possible.
But, with their next court date set for January 17, and an additional bribery charge being issued by prosecutors earlier this month, the family are now said to be in a state of panic and ‘chaos’, a source told People.
‘The entire family is in chaos right now. They knew [the third charge] was a possibility, but they thought perhaps it was just a bargaining tool from the prosecution,' the source told the outlet. '
Now that the charges are official, they are realizing that there is no way to avoid a moderately long prison sentence, unless they are found not guilty in a trial.’
Another source told CNN the actress is ‘devastated’ by the fact she could ‘go away for a long time – and that’s terrifying her’.
Full House star Lori Loughlin (pictured Wednesday in Beverly Hills) is said to have hit ‘rock bottom’ and is ‘about to break’ ahead of her upcoming trial in the college admissions scandal, fearing she could be set to spend a long time behind bars
In a press release, the U.S. Department of Justice said that Loughlin, 55, Giannulli, 56, and nine other defendants ‘conspired to commit federal program bribery by bribing employees of the University of Southern California (USC) to facilitate their children’s admission’
Ever since she and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were accused of paying a $500,000 bribe for their daughters, Olivia Jade (right), 20, and Isabella Giannulli (left), 21, to be accepted into the University of South California, the couple are said to have tried to keep their family life as normal as possible
In a press release, the U.S. Department of Justice said that Loughlin, 55, Giannulli, 56, and nine other defendants ‘conspired to commit federal program bribery by bribing employees of the University of Southern California (USC) to facilitate their children’s admission’.
In exchange for the alleged bribes, USC coaches and athletics officials supposedly enrolled the children as recruited athletes, regardless of their athletic abilities.
Loughlin, her husband, and the nine other defendants, have now each been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.
Previously, Loughlin and Giannulli were facing charges of money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud.
They pleaded not guilty the charges in April and now face a maximum of 45 years behind bars if convicted.
Another source told CNN the actress (seen driving Wednesday) is ‘devastated’ by the fact she could ‘go away for a long time – and that’s terrifying her’.
In a press release, the U.S. Department of Justice said that Loughlin, 55, Giannulli, 56, and nine other defendents ‘conspired to commit federal program bribery by bribing employees of the University of Southern California (USC) to facilitate their children’s admission’
When asked how the on-going scandal has affect her marriage, a source told CNN that it’s now ‘beyond strained’ between Loughlin and Giannulli.
The couple are said to view their upcoming legal battle as a ‘David versus Goliath’ effort, fearing the federal government will try to make an example out of them by giving them harsher sentences if found guilty.
‘The stress about to break them,’ the source said. ‘All she wanted was the best for her daughters and she wishes people would see that. She definitely regrets the way she's handled herself since all this came out.’
Loughling, however, remains adamant the allegations against her aren’t true, People’s source said.
‘Does she regret not taking the deal? Of course she does, because it would have been easier,’ the source explained.
‘But taking the deal would have admitted guilt, and she believes she was duped by unscrupulous people who enriched themselves off of her. It is her position that she was not some sort of criminal mastermind.’
Despite the reported strained relations between Loughlin and Giannulli, Lori and her two daughters are said to be ‘closer than ever’.
'I love the people I love, and I have empathy for people that are in my life for 35 years. I don't cut people out': Bob Saget expressed support for Full House co-star Lori Loughlin in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday. The pair are pictured at right in 2007, and left on the set of the show back in 1990
Loughlin is pictured with her two daughters, Olivia Jade (left) and Isabella (right). She is alleged to have paid a bribe of $500,000 so that they could be admitted to US
Bob Saget voiced support for his Full House co-star Loughlin on Wednesday, amid claims of her private turmoil.
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, 63-year-old Saget - who first began working with Loughlin on the hit sitcom back in 1988 - stated: 'For a while, I was saying, "No comment" and now there's just no point... I love the people I love, and I have empathy for people that are in my life for 35 years. I don't cut people out.'
He added: 'I never had any friends growing up, so I'm lucky to have any [now]'.
The actor spent seven working with Loughlin, 55, on Full House, before the show wrapped in 1995.
The pair came together again in 2015, with Netflix rebooting the hit sitcom under the new title, Fuller House.
The fifth and final season of that show is about to commence production, but it's believed that Loughlin will not return. The actress was fired from her other TV series, Hallmark's When Calls The Heart, after she was first charged in the college admissions scandal back in March.
Loughlin has the support of her co-stars Saget (left), John Stamos (center left) and Candace Cameron Bure (left). The group are pictured together in 2009
Saget and Loughlin pictured on the set of Full House back in 1990
Meanwhile, Saget isn't the only Full House star to defend Loughlin in light of the scandal.
Back in August, John Stamos - who played Loughlin's love interest on the sitcom - spoke up in support of the actress.
''Whatever happened, I'm pretty sure that the punishment is not equal to the crime, if there was a crime,' Stamos told GQ.
Meanwhile, co-star Candace Cameron Bure told reporters back in March: 'Where there's a lot of heart, there's a lot of love.
'A loving family sticks together no matter what. They stick together through the hard times, they support each other, they encourage one another, they pray for each other, and they stand by their side, no matter how tough it gets'.
Loughlin (second from right) is pictured with her Fuller House co-stars in 2017
15 parents were initially charged in the college admissions scandal back in March, including Desperate Housewives star, Felicity Huffman.
Unlike Loughlin, Huffman plead guilty in the scandal, and accepted a plea deal.
She served 11 days in prison after being found guilty of paying admissions consultant Rick Singer $15,000 to fake the answers for her now 19-year-old daughter, Sophia.
She now has to complete 250 hours of community service.
