Now that actress Lori Loughlin and her designer husband Mossimo Giannulli have had time to adjust to the charges they face, they are reportedly becoming actively involved in their defense.
At least that is what one source familiar with the case told People magazine. The source said that Loughlin and Giannulli are “very type A,” and they are “figuring out what to do next.” The source added that the couple is “mounting a vigorous defense against the charges.”
“She’s an intelligent woman, and she is very logical. Now that the shock has totally worn off and this has become her new normal, her feeling is, ‘Okay, what do I do next?’ And she knows that her next step is to really focus on her next legal steps.”
Loughlin has reportedly been keeping a close eye on the cases against the other parents that have been charged in the college admissions scandal that involved paying William Singer money to get their children into elite colleges. In particular, she is allegedly watching how the case against actress Felicity Huffman turns out.
Huffman pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to have her daughter’s SAT scores changed. Prosecutors will likely request a light jail sentence because of her plea, and there is even a chance she may get no jail time at all.
“Lori in particular has become extremely well-versed in the case,” says the source. “She’s an active participant in her own defense.”
Unlike Huffman, Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded not guilty to paying $500,000 to get their daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as crew recruits, even though they were not rowers. After their not guilty plea, the government also slapped them with mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges.
In May, a source told People that Loughlin genuinely believed she had a valid defense, and when all of the evidence came to light, she would be found not guilty because all she wanted for her daughters was a good education.
“She still is looking into the avenues to defend herself against what she thinks is a meritless charge,” the source said.
Be that as it may, Loughlin and Giannulli have their work cut out for them. Former USC assistant coach Laura Janke pleaded guilty last week to creating fake profiles for many children — including Loughlin’s daughter Olivia Jade. Janke is now cooperating with the the government in the case, which could make Loughlin’s fight a little tougher.
