Last Friday, Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli finally pleaded guilty to charges against them in the college admissions scandal. Now, sources are saying that their two daughters played a huge role in them coming to this decision.
A legal source told People magazine that the couple’s daughters Isabella, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20, had encouraged them to take the plea deals so that this could all be over, and their family could move on with their lives.
“The girls have been very supportive of their parents throughout this whole ordeal,” the legal source said. “They were encouraging their parents to fight this, but that’s obviously all changed now. They realize that this was done to help them and there is no animosity there.”
Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, while her husband confessed to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of honest services wire and mail fraud. Under the terms of the deal, Loughlin will be serving two months in prison, and Giannulli will be serving five months.
In addition to the prison time, Loughlin will need to pay a $150,000 fine and do 100 hours of community service, while Giannulli agreed to serve five months, pay $250,000 and do 250 hours of community service. Despite all of this, their decision to plead guilty came as a relief to their two daughters.
“The girls’ biggest fear has been that their parents would go to jail for years,” said a source close to their family. “They all had a family discussion about their options before making a decision. Olivia and Bella also want it to be over and they agree the plea is the best option. Lori and Mossimo don’t feel like they gave up; they’re doing what’s best for their family.”
Isabella and Olivia Jade had good reason to be afraid, as each of their parents were facing 45 years in prison if convicted on all of the charges against them. They spent over a year denying the allegations that they spent over $500,000 in bribe money to have their two daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as members of the crew team, even though neither girl had ever rowed before.
For Loughlin and Giannulli’s sentences to be made official, a judge will need to approve them in a hearing that is currently scheduled to take place on August 21.
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