Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were facing a minimum of 2 years in prison because of the amount they allegedly paid in bribes to get their daughters into USC. But because Loughlin did not cop a plea, the Federal Grand Jury granted an indictment and added money laundering and wire/mail fraud charges, which each carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The indictment comes down on Loughlin, Giannulli and the 18 other parents who did not enter into a plea deal.
According to TMZ, all of the parents involved in the college bribe scandal were offered plea deals, and prosecutors were only accepting pleas with prison time. Felicity Huffman copped a plea deal, along with 12 other parents, securing the possibility to serve up to 10 months in prison.
Huffman said in part of her plea statement, “I am pleading guilty to the charge brought against me by the United States Attorney’s Office. I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done. My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her,” the statement added. “This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty.”
According to reports, Prosecutors gave defendants two options, to either reach a plea deal quickly or else go to a Federal Grand Jury and add money laundering and wire/mail fraud charges…like Loughlin. Federal prosecutors said the additional money laundering charge “provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering.”
In a release from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the attorney said, “The charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.”
According to Daily Mail, sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
