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I read a story about Lori Loughlin’s college admissions bribery case the other day where the writer referred to “Lori Loughlin’s alternate reality” called “LoriWorld.” It couldn’t have been a more apt description.
From her daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli being in the Bahamas on a yacht owned by chairman of USC’s board of trustees when the scandal hit and the wiretapped conversations to Loughlin thinking prosecutors were bluffing and her being “outraged” that people have been calling her and her family “cheaters,” she really is living in an alternate reality.
This was never more evident than when it was revealed a couple of weeks ago that Lori Loughlin’s defense in the matter is basically “we didn’t know we were breaking any laws.”
Now, after rejecting a plea deal, Loughlin is facing up to 40-years in prison and a new Federal criminal investigation has been opened up against one of her daughters. So yeah, Loughlin’s plan of attack seems to be going swimmingly.
A recent report by People says Loughlin “will do whatever she has to do to protect them from prosecution, especially malicious prosecution. Her top priority in all of this is to protect her daughters.”
Not sure what the difference would be between “regular” prosecution and “malicious” prosecution in this case, but any pressures of the case don’t seem to be affecting daughter Olivia Jade.
In an effort to prepare for their next scheduled hearing on June 3rd, CNN reports that “17 parents charged in connection with the college admission scandal — including actress Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli — are asking prosecutors to hand over evidence.”
Meanwhile, Loughlin is reportedly sticking to her guns regarding the whole “was that wrong?” defense.
The source tells People that Loughlin and Giannulli truly believed that their actions were comparable to those of other parents who take extraordinary steps to help their their children get into upper-tier colleges.
“Calling in favors, donating money to the alumni association, hiring consultants. Those are all things that parents do,” says the source. “And so they gave money to this consultant, not entirely knowing everything that was going to be done. When it all fell apart, nobody was as surprised as they were that they were in trouble.”
The source continues, “She never intended to break any laws, and if she did, it was inadvertent.”
Paying someone $500,000 and having your kids pose as crew team members when they aren’t was… “inadvertent.” Good defense.
According to TMZ, Loughlin is also going with the “wasn’t me” defense…
Our sources say … lawyers for Lori and Mossimo Giannulli didn’t take a plea early on because they believe they have a solid defense on several fronts. First, ringleader Rick Singer did not tell them how he would use the $500k to get their daughters into the school. Fact … they were aware Rick Singer wanted pics of the girls on a rowing machine, but they say that doesn’t mean they knew the end game.
It’s true … knowledge and intent are key elements to proving bribery, and we’re told Lori and Mossimo’s lawyers are making that a centerpiece of their defense … their only intent is to generally get their daughters into USC by using a “facilitator” who got hundreds of other students into colleges.
One big problem … according to the complaint, Giannulli — not Loughlin — sent at least $100k directly to the assistant athletic director.
Yeah… ONE big problem… LOL.