Bad timing. While Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were being taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the largest college admissions scam in history, their daughter Olivia Jade was enjoying a Bahamian getaway.
TMZ reports that on Tuesday, March 12 — as news of the scam broke — the 19-year-old influencer was aboard USC’s Board of Trustees Chairman Rick Caruso’s private yacht. The outlet reports that Olivia was spending time with Caruso’s daughter, Gianna, and other friends.
The YouTuber and Gianna have since left the yacht, with Caruso telling TMZ, “My daughter and a group of students left for spring break prior to the government’s announcement yesterday. Once we became aware of the investigation, the young woman decided it would be in her best interests to return home.”
ABC News reported on Tuesday that Lori, 54, and Mossimo, 55, allegedly “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”
The fashion designer was arrested on Tuesday, while the Full House alum was taken into custody on Wednesday after flying home as she was “out of the country” for work. Both are currently out on $1 million bonds each, using their Brentwood, California, home as collateral.
Prior to returning home, Caruso reacted to the controversy in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. “The charges filed today against employees of USC are disturbing and the alleged activity is absolutely wrong,” he said on Tuesday. “I am saddened for any innocent students that may be impacted. There is no option other than zero tolerance for this type of behavior, and everyone involved will be held accountable.”
As for how Olivia and her sister, Bella, 20, who both attend the University of Southern California, will be affected, the USC Media Relations department tells Us Weekly the school will “conduct a case-by-case review for current students and graduates that may be connected to the scheme alleged by the government.”
The statement noted: “We will make informed, appropriate decisions once those reviews have been completed. Some of these individuals may have been minors at the time of their application process.”
Dozens, including actress Felicity Huffman, supposedly bribed prestigious universities to get their children accepted, and have since been named and charged. The Desperate Housewives alum shares daughters Sofia, 18, and Georgia, 16, with husband William H. Macy. Huffman was arrested on Tuesday and released on a $250,000 bond.
