The legal battle between prosecutors in the college admissions scandal and Lori Loughlin's family continues on. Lori and husband Mossimo Giannulli are set to go to trial in early October.
The couple is charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and honest services mail and wire fraud. In October 2019, an additional federal charge of one count each of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery was placed against them. Lori and Mossimo have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Lori and Mossimo were among many parents who worked with college admissions consultant Rick Singer to get their children into prestigious schools. The couple allegedly paid $500,000 to get their daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California. Rick reportedly helped the family frame the girls as recruits to the crew team, despite the fact that neither girl had ever participated in the sport.
Recently, Lori and Mossimo's team filed a motion to have the case against them dismissed. In response, court documents filed by federal prosecutors reveal the staged rowing photos of the two girls, TMZ revealed.
Photos of Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's daughters on exercise equipment may be a blow to the couple's case in the college admissions scandal. Federal prosecutors released the photos in court documents on Thursday. The documents are a response to the Giannulli legal team's recent motion to dismiss the charges against the two.
The filing claims that Lori and Mossimo believed the money was going to USC in the form of donations. It also claims that government officials pressured Rick Singer to change what he told families to fit their case.
"Indeed, the fact that the government has never alleged that Singer told Giannulli and Loughlin that their payments were going to [USC’s former associate athletic director Donna] Heinel personally is a strong reason to believe he told them the opposite — that they payments were legitimate," attorney Sean M. Berkowitz claimed in documents obtained by People magazine.
"The government clearly acknowledges that Giannulli and Loughlin’s alleged ‘bribe payments’ did not go to any USC official personally, but rather were given as donations to USC itself," the filing later notes.
"There is no evidence the defendants somehow knew these payments to USC were personal bribes designed to compensate Heinel for betraying her employer." They believe on this basis that the government is trying to entrap high-profile parents to set an example.
The filing on Lori and Mossimo's behalf came just one day after another parent involved in the scandal was sentenced. Michelle Janavs, the heiress to the Hot Pockets empire, was sentenced to five months in prison for paying $100,000 to Rick Singer. Rick helped her two daughters cheat on college entrance exams, and he posed one as a beach volleyball athlete.
The photos released by prosecutors show Isabella and Olivia on erg rowing machines in athletic attire. The photos, supplied by Mossimo, were taken in response to a request by Rick.
"It would probably help to get a picture with her on an ERG in workout clothes like a real athlete too," Rick told Mossimo by email in September 2016.
"Fantastic. Will get all," Mossimo replied.
The same process was then applied to Olivia the following year. The rowing résumé that was submitted on Olivia's behalf was also revealed by prosecutors in early February. It notes, "Her sister is currently on our roster and fills the position of our #4 boat."
Isabella and Olivia are no longer students at USC. While the sisters lay low as this scandal began to unfold, their lives have largely returned to normal, sources say. In December, Olivia returned to her YouTube channel with her first video in the nine months since her parents were indicted.
"Olivia got the clear from her parents and their lawyer team," the source continued.
"She was coached about what she was allowed to say. She carefully followed a script. She seems very excited about starting up her vlog again."
More recently, the girls have been spotted out and about by paparazzi. "Olivia and Bella both have active lives," a source close to the family said.
"They hang out with friends, go shopping and go out for lunch and dinner. It’s pretty typical lives for girls in their circle."
"Right after the college scandal broke, both girls were very low-key and avoided being photographed," the source noted.
"But since Olivia is again active on social media, their lives have basically gone back to normal. They don’t avoid the paparazzi anymore. They don’t seem to mind being photographed."
The source explained that the two ladies are allowing themselves to "enjoy life." They don't know what the future holds for their parents, but they're allowing themselves to go about business as usual until they find out. The family has maintained that they're confident that justice will be served.
"They used to be very upset and worried about their parents," the source noted.
"They are still concerned of course and it will probably get worse as they get closer to the trial date, but they still feel they need to go on with their lives. But for now, they are allowing themselves to enjoy life a little bit too."
As of now, Lori and Mossimo's trial is set to begin in the fall. They face up to 45 years in prison if convicted. While many of the other parents involved have seen lighter sentences thus far, Lori and Mossimo's fate remains undetermined.
