Lori Loughlin Says She’s Not Guilty of New Charges in College Bribery Case

Actrress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, leave the federal courthouse after facing charges in a nationwide college admissions cheating scheme, in Boston on April 3, 2019. Reuters/Brian Snyder/File Photo

“Full House” star Lori Loughlin said on Friday morning that she is not guilty of new charges in the college bribery case, according to court documents that were filed in Boston.

Lawyers for Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, her husband, filed court documents Friday, saying they are not guilty after being charged with conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.

According to KTLA, the couple also waived their right to appear at an arraignment on Nov. 20.

They filed the court documents in a federal court in Boston.

They are accused of paying $500,000 to secure the admission of their two daughters in the University of Southern California. Previously, they have pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering charges.

Earlier this month, new charges were filed against Loughlin, Giannulli, and nine others in the Operation Varsity Blues case.

Actress Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli exit the Boston Federal Courthouse after a pre-trial hearing with Magistrate Judge Kelley at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston on Aug. 27, 2019. Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images

Actress Lori Loughlin poses with her daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli (L) in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 28, 2019. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

“The new charges in the third superseding indictment allege that 11 defendants—Gamal Abdelaziz, Diane Blake, Todd Blake, Mossimo Giannulli, Elisabeth Kimmell, Lori Loughlin, William McGlashan, Jr., Marci Palatella, John Wilson, Homayoun Zadeh, and Robert Zangrillo—conspired to commit federal program bribery by bribing employees of the University of Southern California (USC) to facilitate their children’s admission,” United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling said in a press release on Oct. 22.

He added: “In exchange for the bribes, employees of the university allegedly designated the defendants’ children as athletic recruits—with little or no regard for their athletic abilities—or as members of other favored admissions categories.”

Loughlin and Giannulli could each potentially face decades in prison if convicted, according to reports.

Felicity Huffman arrives at federal court in Boston, where she pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal, on May 13, 2019. Steven Senne/AP Photo

Another actress, Felicity Huffman, was also indicted in the case in March. The “Desperate Housewives” star was accused of paying $15,000 to improve her daughter’s SAT scores before she pleaded guilty to fraud charges.

Huffman, this month, completed her 14-day prison term in California.

She must now complete 250 hours of community service, a year of supervised release, and also pay a $30,000 fine.

“In my desperation to be a good mother I talked myself into believing that all I was doing was giving my daughter a fair shot,” Huffman said in an apology letter to the court, CNN reported. “I see the irony in that statement now because what I have done is the opposite of fair. I have broken the law, deceived the educational community, betrayed my daughter and failed my family.”

“I am deeply ashamed of what I have done,” she also told the judge. “At the end of the day I had a choice to make. I could have said, ‘no.'”