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Lori Loughlin’s Attorney Says New Evidence Should Exonerate Her in College Admissions Case

In the clear? Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli’s attorney said new evidence shows that the couple are innocent in the college admissions case.

Related: Everything We Know About the College Admissions Scandal

The lawyer, Sean Berkowitz, revealed in court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Wednesday, February 26, that prosecutors got ahold of notes written by scheme mastermind Rick Singer that should exonerate the Full House alum, 55, and the fashion designer, 56.

“Singer’s notes indicate that FBI agents yelled at him and instructed him to lie by saying that he told his clients who participated in the in the alleged ‘side door’ scheme that their payments were bribes, rather than legitimate donations that went to the schools,” Berkowitz claimed.

Lori-Loughlin’s-Attorney-Says-New-Evidence-Should-Exonerate-Her-in-College-Admissions-Case
Lori Loughlin arrives at federal court in Boston on April 3, 2019. Steven Senne/AP/Shutterstock

In one of his alleged notes, Singer wrote of the FBI, “They continue to ask me to tell a fib and not restate what I told my clients as to where there money was going — to the program not the coach and that it was a donation and they want it to be a payment,” according to the attorney’s filing.

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Berkowitz said the evidence was a “belated discovery” in the case, calling it “exculpatory” and “exonerating for the defendants the government has charged with bribery.”

A court date is scheduled in Boston for Thursday, February 27, but Loughlin and Giannulli’s attorney have asked the judge to postpone it in light of the newly released information.

“It is the only fair way to protect the defendants’ rights,” Berkowitz said on Wednesday.

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The actress and the Mossimo founder are accused of paying $500,000 to have their daughters, Bella, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20, admitted to the University of Southern California as crew recruits despite having no experience with the sport. The money was allegedly funneled through a false charity started by Singer, who pleaded guilty in May 2019 to orchestrating the scandal. He faces up to 65 years in prison.

Loughlin and Giannulli were charged with fraud and money laundering in April 2019 and bribery that October. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Jury selection for the case is scheduled to begin on September 28, and opening statements start on October 5.

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