The actress’ husband, Mossimo Giannulli, will report to prison soon as well
Lori Loughlin’s family is reportedly closing ranks amid her two-month prison sentence for her role in the college admissions scandal.
The “Fuller House” actress reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif., on Oct. 25 to begin serving her time behind bars after pleading guilty in the high profile scandal.
According to a source who spoke to Us Weekly, her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, and daughters Isabella and Olivia Jade are keeping close together and giving one another support during one of the family’s most difficult times.
“While the family is going through a difficult time, they are supporting each other,” the insider told the outlet. “[They] understand that mistakes were made but that in order to move forward they need to forgive and move forward.”
The “When Calls the Heart” alum was handed a two-month term behind bars in August after she and her fashion designer husband pleaded guilty to charges stemming from $500,000 payments to scam mastermind William “Rick” Singer to get their daughters recruited onto the University of Southern California’s crew team. The two had never participated in the sport.
FCI Dublin is a low-security federal prison for roughly 1,200 female inmates. The Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed it is the same facility where “Desperate Housewives” actress Felicity Huffman served 11 days of a planned two-week sentence for similar crimes.
Meanwhile, Loughlin’s husband reportedly has until Nov. 19 to report to prison for a five-month sentence, which he accepted along with 250 hours of community service and a $250,000 fine.
During her Aug. 22 sentencing hearing, Loughlin — who was wearing a white blouse and appeared virtually via Zoom — initially seemed calm, showing little emotion as her attorney BJ Trach said she is “profoundly sorry” for her actions. But when it was Loughlin’s turn to address the judge, she forced back tears as she apologized.
“I made an awful decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process and in doing so I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass,” she said. “I have great faith in God, and I believe in redemption and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good.”
Describing the “devastating” impact the charges have had on Loughlin’s family life and career, Trach said: “Lori lost the acting career she spent 40 years building.” He also called the conduct “completely out of character” for Loughlin.
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Meanwhile, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin O’Connell said Loughlin wasn’t content with the advantages her children already had, thanks to their wealth, and “was focused on getting what she wanted, no matter how and no matter the cost.” He said prison time was necessary to send a message that “everyone, no matter your status, is accountable in our justice system.”
The sentences put an end to more than a year of legal battles. Loughlin and Giannulli initially pleaded not guilty to expanded charges of bribery brought against them in October along with 11 other parents swept up in the scandal. In May, the duo shocked many when they changed course and agreed to plead guilty, as Huffman did in 2019.
