More details are emerging about Lori Loughlin‘s role in getting her daughter Olivia Jade, 20, admitted the University of Southern California. The 56-year-old allegedly encouraged her daughter to lie to her college admissions counselor at prestigious Los Angeles private school Marymount, according to new court documents. While looking at prospective schools, Olivia allegedly asked her parents if she should inform her advisor that USC was her top choice school, to which Lori said, “Yes” but warned “it might be a flag for the weasel to meddle.”
From there, Olivia’s dad Mossimo Giannulli, 57, allegedly retorted that the counselor was a “nosey bastard” and to “f—k him.” Lori then instructed her youngest daughter, “don’t say too much to that man,” according to the documebts. Of course, Lori and Mossimo had already enlisted the help of Rick Singer of Boston-based The Key, who they paid $500,000 to help both Oliva and her older sister Isabella Rose, 21, gain admission to USC. In the documents, Mossimo also thanked Rick for his “great work” and the “end result” — meaning Olivia and Isabella getting into USC — in April 2017.
As part of the scheme, Rick had Olivia and Isabella pose as crew recruits, despite the fact neither had ever competitively rowed. Photoshopped images were included as part of their applications, along with a falsified resume that cited Olivia had won gold medals in the sport. “It would probably help to get a picture with her on an ERG in workout clothes like a real athlete too,” Rick encouraged Mossimo in an email later obtained by prosecutors.
Lori and Mossimo’s sentencing hearings are set for Friday, Aug. 21, just four months after they plead guilty. Lori is pleading to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, while Mossimo is pleading guilty to the same, in addition to honest services wire and mail fraud. U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in May, “Under the plea agreements filed today, these defendants will serve prison terms reflecting their respective roles in a conspiracy to corrupt the college admissions process and which are consistent with prior sentences in this case. We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions.”
