Visiting Aunt Becky behind bars? Lori Loughlin’s Fuller House costars weren’t worried that the actress would serve prison time — until she rejected her plea deal.
“Lori’s castmates on Fuller House really thought she wasn’t going to have to serve prison time,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively on the “Hot Hollywood” podcast. “They thought she was going to have to do something, but not go to prison. But that was before the addition of these most recent charges.”
The 54-year-old actress appeared alongside Full House alums Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber, John Stamos, Bob Saget and Dave Coulier in the Netflix reboot of the series during the first four seasons. Last month, Loughlin was arrested after she and husband Mossimo Giannulli were accused of paying $500,000 to facilitate their daughters’ admission into the University of Southern California. The couple, who have yet to publicly comment on the case, share daughters Bella, 20, and Olivia Jade, 19.
Us confirmed on Tuesday, April 9, that the When Calls the Heart actress rejected a plea deal that would include a minimum two-year prison sentence.
The following day, Loughlin was spotted out in Santa Monica sans her designer husband, 55. While the duo were initially charged with fraud, Loughlin and Giannulli made headlines for additional charges of money laundering conspiracy hours after they turned down the plea deal.
Reports surfaced last month that Loughlin is not expected to return for the fifth and final season of Fuller House in light of the scandal. She was also dropped by the Hallmark Channel. Her influencer daughter Olivia, meanwhile, lost several brand deals with companies including Sephora and TRESemmé.
Sources told Us that Olivia is upset with her parents for how their alleged role in the nationwide college admissions scandal affected her business.
“Olivia has been staying with her boyfriend in Malibu,” one insider told Us in March. “She’s not talking to her parents right now.”
With reporting by Brody Brown
