Following Felicity Huffman’s two-week sentence for her role in the college admissions scandal, it looks like Lori Loughlin may end up taking a plea rather than risk going to trial.
According to TMZ, options opened up for Loughlin after the probation department’s sentencing report on Huffman. The “Desperate Housewives” actress was given just 14 days behind bars after it was determined that no one suffered a substantial loss as a result of her decision to hire someone to change her daughter’s SAT answers. However, prosecutors argued that someone else who took the SAT was likely denied admission for having a lower, non-rigged score.
As a result of the probation department’s decision, the outlet notes that Loughlin has an even better claim to be made that her actions didn’t affect anyone else, despite her shelling out way more money to scandal mastermind William “Rick” Singer.
Sources told TMZ that the U.S. attorney is open to a plea discussion with Loughlin because there is concern about how it would look if the “Fuller House” actress was tried, convicted and given a short sentence.
Lori Loughlin appears in court in Boston in September 2019 about the college admissions scandal. At right, Felicity Huffman leaves her sentencing in the college admissions scam case, dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues.” Huffman will serve 14 days in federal prison following a plea agreement, while Loughlin pleaded not guilty and awaits a trial.
(Getty)
Huffman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud earlier this year. She confessed to paying an admissions consultant $15,000 to have a proctor correct her older daughter’s answers on the SAT. She considered the same for her younger daughter but decided against it. In addition to 14 days in prison, Huffman also received one year of probation, was ordered to perform 250 hours of community service and pay a $30,000 fine.
LORI LOUGHLIN REACHED OUT TO FELICITY HUFFMAN BEFORE SENTENCE BEGAN: REPORT
Loughlin, 55, and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, 56 have been accused of paying $500,000 to alleged scam mastermind, Singer, to get their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella recruited onto the University of Southern California’s crew team despite neither girl ever being a rower.
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Lori and Mossimo initially rejected the plea deal that other parents involved in the case – including Huffman – accepted. Giannulli and Loughlin then were hit with additional charges of money laundering and conspiracy and would face up to 40 years behind bars if convicted on all charges.
Fox News’ Jessica Sager contributed to this report.
