Lori Laughlin, 57, made her first red carpet appearance since the infamous college admissions scandal on June 18. At the event, the Full House alumni wore a long sleeved royal blue dress that reached her knees. She smiled directly at the camera while clutching a square silver purse, and sporting light gold heels with thin straps. Her honey blonde hair was also let down in loose waves past her shoulders.
The gala was called DesignCare, and was held in Los Angeles to benefit The HollyRod Foundation, according to People. The HollyRod Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to those with either a Parkinson’s Disease or autism diagnosis.
In 2019, Laughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, were charged with conspiracy after allegedly paying a whopping $500k in bribes to have their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella admitted to the University of Southern California. The parents also made false statements about their daughter’s extracurricular activities including claiming that they were avid rowers, although they have never participated in the sport. They even went as far as to take photos of the young girls on rowing machines as part of their college applications.
However, an EXCLUSIVE SOURCE claimed the couple’s innocence in May 2020 when they spoke to HollywoodLife. “Lori and Mossimo got taken in by a con man, Rick Singer, and trusted him because many of their close friends had used him to help provide college counseling guidance to their children,” the insider explained. “His non-profit foundation was a 501c3 and sanctioned by the U.S. government as a charitable organization. They had no idea what they were doing was a felony! U.S.C. [University of Southern California] actually cashed their check as well.”
Laughlin and her husband ended up taking a plea deal for the case. Laughlin was found guilty for one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, while her husband was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud. Ultimately, Lori was sent 2 to months in prison with 150k in fines and 100 hours of community service, while Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison, 250k in fines and 250 hours of community service. Laughlin was released from prison in December 2020, while Giannulli was released in April 2021.