All part of the plan. A source tells Us Weekly that Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli’s decision to allegedly pay $500,000 to have their two daughters be represented as University of Southern California crew team recruits for guaranteed entry to the college was very well thought out.
The insider tells Us that the couple, who are each facing up to 40 years in prison, were trying to be frugal with the scheme. “Lori and her husband made a calculated decision to get their daughters into USC, and bypassed donating directly to the university to save money,” the source explains to Us. “It would have cost millions of dollars to get the girls into USC if they had gone that path. Donating buildings or establishing scholarships has been the whispered norm to get kids of wealthy parents into universities, including USC.”
The source tells Us that their alleged involvement with scandal leader William “Rick” Singer also provided them a more discreet way to achieve their goals.
According to the insider, Lori and Mossimo hatched a plan with Singer that would prevent them from having to make a $20 to 50 million donation to the university. “The public would have known,” the insider said of the couple’s alternative. “They were able to get the girls into USC for $500,000.”
A separate confidant told Us in the new issue that Loughlin’s friends have placed the blame on the shoulders of her spouse. “Everyone feels bad for her,” a source shared. “They think the situation was something concocted by her husband.”
The Fuller House alum, 54, and her fashion designer husband, 55, pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and money laundering on Monday, April 15, after rejecting a plea deal, which would have carried a minimum two-year prison sentence.
“They missed the opportunity for a plea bargain during the first round, and now there might not be a deal available for them to take,” legal coach and crisis manager Wendy Feldman told Us in April.
Mossimo was arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering on March 12, with his wife being taken into custody one day later. They each posted a $1 million bond.
With reporting by Jennifer Heger
