College admissions scandal came in like a lion and went out like a lamb: Jonna Spilbor
Lori Loughlin is sentenced to two months in prison after taking a plea deal; criminal defense attorney Jonna Spilbor reacts.
Now that their parents, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, are officially going to prison for their role in the college admissions scandal, sisters Olivia Jade and Isabella are reportedly “rattled” by the whole situation.
Loughlin and Giannulli were sentenced last month to two and five months in prison, respectively, by Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton. The sentences are in line with terms of their plea deals laid out months ago. They each have until Nov. 19 to report to a facility to begin their time behind bars.
In the wake of the judge’s decision, the family is reportedly closing ranks in the time they have left together. A source close to the family told Us Weekly that the girls are spending time away from their friends for now.
FILE - In this Feb. 28, 2019 file photo, actress Lori Loughlin, center, poses with daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli, left, and Isabella Rose Giannulli who are reportedly rattled by their parents' prison sentencing. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
“Olivia and Bella have been rattled by the proceedings,” the source says. “They have been focusing more on family and not seeing friends as much. Both girls have been spending more time at home with their parents as of late.”
The sentences put an end to more than a year of legal battles. The famous couple initially pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from $500,000 payments to scam-mastermind William “Rick” Singer to get their daughters recruited onto University of Southern California's crew team. The two never had participated in the sport.
In May, the duo shocked many when they changed course and agreed to plead guilty, like fellow celebrity in the scandal, Felicity Huffman. The "Desperate Housewives" actress served 11 days of a planned two-week sentence for similar crimes.
In their plea agreement, Loughlin, 56, agreed to serve two months and pay a $150,000 fine along with two years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. Giannulli, meanwhile, is expected to serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine with two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service.
April 3, 2019: Actress Lori Loughlin, front, and her husband, clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli, left, depart federal court in Boston after a hearing in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
"I made an awful decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process and in doing so I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass,” Loughlin said during her sentencing. “I have great faith in God, and I believe in redemption and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good.”
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In addition to the sentence, Loughlin was fired from roles on both Netflix's "Fuller House" and Hallmark's "When Calls the Heart" after her role in the scandal came to light in 2019.
Fox News' Melissa Roberto and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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