As she continues to fight charges that she and her husband paid $500,000 in bribes to gain admission for their two daughters to the University of Southern California, Fuller House star Lori Loughlin is reportedly anticipating that she will receive a tough prison sentence. In fact, according to a source quoted by the celebrity news site Radar Online , Loughlin is even studying martial arts as she prepares to defend herself behind bars.
“Prison is going to be sink or swim and Lori doesn’t intend to sit back and take the abuse without a fight,” the source described as an “insider” told the site. The 55-year-old is “learning the lingo and practicing martial arts to give off the impression she’s tough and to ward off potential bullies,” the alleged insider told Radar Online .
Another well-known actress, Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman, pleaded guilty to paying a $15,000 bribe in order to rig her daughter’s SAT scores and received what was widely criticized as an overly lenient, 14-day sentence. But Loughlin faces charges that are more serious than those against Huffman — and she and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli have defied prosecutors, refusing to take a guilty plea.
As a result, Loughlin faces up to 40 years in prison and earlier this year was reported to be “stressing out” that her sentence will be lengthy.
The entertainment site The Blast also reported that Loughlin was undergoing emotional difficulties as she contemplates the possibility of life in a federal lock-up.
“She is breaking down. She truly feels at her very worst,” the site quoted another source as saying of Loughlin.
According to Forbes , Loughlin and Gianulli have a combined net worth of $88 million — about $80 million go that sum from the husband.
She is using some of that money, Radar Online reported, to pay for “experts” who are attempting to train her to exist in prison.
“She’s getting lots of advice from prison professors on how to earn one’s keep behind bars,” the Radar “insider” claimed. Exactly what a “prison professor” is was not explained. But the source said that the fact that Loughlin has hired such experts shows that she “knows deep down” that she will spend a significant amount of time in federal prison.
Huffman’s light sentence was widely blasted by critics as an example of “white privilege,” leading Loughlin to fear that when it comes time for her to receive her own sentence, a judge will want to “make an example” of her.
