Lori Loughlin faces two years in prison following college admissions cheating scandal
Per TMZ, Full House actress, Lori Loughlin, and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Gianulli, were offered a plea deal which would give them each a minimum of two years in prison for their involvement in the college admissions scandal dubbed "Operation Varsity Blues".
It's reported that the couple paid William "Rick" Singer - the mastermind behind the scheme - $500,000 to get their two daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, admitted to USC. The daughters, respectively 19 and 20-years-old, have not been accused of wrongdoing.
Loughlin and Mossimo are not the only celebrities to be embroiled in the scandal. Desperate Housewives actress, Felicity Huffman, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest-services mail fraud for paying Singer to change the test scores on her child's college entrance exam.
However, Huffman's prison term is decidedly shorter. According to CBS news, prosecutors are requesting a period of four months in prison as part of her guilty plea.
This is due to the severity of the charges - Huffman paid just $15,000 for Singer to cheat on an exam - whereas Loughlin and Giannulli paid $500,000 for Singer to bribe a crew coach at USC.
Following the allegations, USC released the following statement:
"We are aware of the ongoing wide-ranging criminal investigation involving universities nationwide, including USC. USC has not been accused of any wrongdoing and will continue to cooperate fully with the government’s investigation. We understand that the government believes that illegal activity was carried out by individuals who went to great lengths to conceal their actions from the university. USC is conducting an internal investigation and will take employment actions as appropriate. USC is in the process of identifying any funds received by the university in connection with this alleged scheme. Additionally, the university is reviewing its admissions processes broadly to ensure that such actions do not occur going forward."
As of now, 13 parents, as well as two coaches, have pleaded guilty to charges related to the college admissions cheating scandal, per the Department of Justice.
50 people were charged back in March for being involved in the fraudulent scheme.
The story continues.