Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesBy STEVE IERVOLINO, ABC News
(LOS ANGELES) — From Full House to the big house? In a surprising turn of events in the so-called Varsity Blues college admissions cheating scandal, Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, have decided to plead guilty to related charges.
ABC News confirms that via video, Loughlin will plead guilty Friday at 11:30 a.m. to a single count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, while her husband will plead guilty to two counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and honest services wire and mail fraud.
If the judge assigned to the case approves the pleas, the Full House star will reportedly serve two months behind bars, while Giannulli could serve five.
The pair won’t be sentenced for 90 days. That could be a nod to the COVID-19 pandemic, with federal prosecutors perhaps wishing to ensure the celebrity couple actually serves the time and isn’t granted early release due to the virus.
As previously reported, Loughlin and Giannulli stand accused of paying $500,000 to a sham charity in an effort to get their two daughters admitted to the University of California Los Angeles as rowing team recruits, despite their daughters having never participated in the sport.
The couple faced up to 50 years in prison if found guilty of bribing UCLA employees in order to secure their daughters’ enrollment.
Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman, who also used Singer’s service to get their kids into prestigious universities by cheating the system, pleaded guilty to related charges and briefly served time behind bars last year.
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