FridayApr102020
L-R, Loughlin, Olivia Jade, Isabella Rose Giannulli / Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images for Sephora Collection(LOS ANGELES) — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the college bribery case against Full House star Lori Loughlin and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, is going full steam ahead.
Things heated up on Thursday when prosecutors — reacting to the couple's March 26 request to dismiss the case against them over "government misconduct" — released a bunch of damning material against them, including their daughters' staged rowing photos that they sent to the scam's alleged ringleader William "Rick" Singer.
E! News obtained the photos along with transcripts, emails, and other evidence linked to Loughlin and Giannulli's alleged attempt to beat the University of Southern California's admissions system.
Photos of Bella Giannulli, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20, show them posing on rowing machines — called an "action photo" — allegedly by Singer's request to get them into the college as rowing recruits, a sport neither child played.
In an August 2016 email to the couple, Singer wrote, "Lori and Moss, I met with USC today about [redacted]. I need a PDF of her transcript and test scores very soon while I create a coxswain portfolio for her. It would probably help to get a picture with her on an ERG in workout clothes like a real athlete too."
Overall, Loughlin, 55, and Giannulli, 56, paid Singer's sham charity $500,000 to falsify athletic portfolios for their daughters. That amount also consisted of two separate payments of $50,000 — directed by Singer — to USC's former Senior Women's Associate Athletic Director Donna Heinel.
Giannulli also sent emails to Singer asking if he could write off the payments as donations. Another email has the designer bragging to his financial advisor, "Good news my [older] daughter is in [U]SC.. bad [news] is I had to work the system."
Their trial is set for October 5, 2020. They face up to 50 years in prison if found guilty on all charges.
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
