Lori Loughlin is covering the costs of two students' four-year college tuition and expenses, totaling more than $500,000, following her guilty plea in the college admissions scandal, a source confirms to E! News.
The 57-year-old actress and her fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli, 58, have been trying to move on following their involvement in the scheme. Loughlin, for instance, is set to make her return to acting in the second season of "When Hope Calls."
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The couple's daughters Olivia Jade, 22, and Bella, 23--whose admissions to the University of Southern California as purported athletic recruits were part of the case--are attempting to move forward as well, with Olivia competing on the current season of "Dancing With the Stars."
"They are hopeful about the future and being able to get their lives back on track," a source close to Loughlin told E! News in April. "They are more than ready to move on and put this behind them."
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Lori Loughlin's Life in Pictures Since the College Admissions Scandal
In 2019, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts revealed that Loughlin and Giannulli had been involved in a scheme, dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. According to the office's press release, they worked with William "Rick" Singer to facilitate Bella's and Olivia Jade's admissions to USC as purported crew recruits, even though neither daughter had ever participated in the sport. Fake athletic profiles were created for each daughter, the release noted, and Giannulli agreed to make payments, some to a USC athletics administrator's account and some to Singer's fake charity Key Worldwide Foundation, totaling $500,000.
In May 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and Giannulli pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud. Singer has also pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice.
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In May 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and Giannulli pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud. Singer has also pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice.
Loughlin was sentenced in August of that year to two months in prison, as well as two years of supervised release. She was also required to complete 100 hours of community service and pay a $150,000 fine. Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison, as well as two years of supervised release. He was required to complete 250 hours of community service and pay a $250,000 fine.
Loughlin started her prison sentence in October 2020 and was released that December. Giannulli began his prison sentence in November 2020 and was released from prison in April 2021, finishing his sentence in home confinement later that month.
Us Weekly was first to report the news of Loughlin paying for the two students' college tuition.
