The holidays are going to look a little different this year for the Giannulli family. Less than a month after Lori Loughlin began her two-month prison sentence for her role in the nationwide college admissions scandal, the actress’ husband, Mossimo Giannulli, surrendered to start his five-month sentence for the bribery scheme.
Loughlin, 56, reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, on October 30, several weeks before she was ordered to surrender on or by Thursday, November 19. While Us Weekly confirmed she was originally set to serve her time at the federal correctional institution in Victorville, California, she ended up at Dublin, the same low-security prison where Felicity Huffman served her sentence, because it had “lower COVID-19 numbers.” Giannulli, 57, for his part, waited until Thursday and reported to Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc, a medium-security facility.
“As of right now, Lori is being told she will be released before the New Year,” a source told Us, noting that the former Summerland star is hoping to be released early and before Christmas. “Lori wants all this behind her as soon as possible so she can start next year off with a fresh start.”
While Giannulli’s five-month sentence brings him to April 19, 2021, it’s possible he will be released the Friday before as Huffman was released early due to the weekend. (The Desperate Housewives alum, who pleaded guilty after paying to improve her daughter Sophia’s SAT scores, completed her 14-day sentence in October 2019. She was released prior to the two-week mark as a normal policy for inmates who are set to be released on weekends.)
Loughlin and Giannulli were arrested in March 2019 after they were accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to ensure their daughters, Bella Giannulli and Olivia Jade Giannulli, would be admitted to the University of Southern California. In May, the couple agreed to change their plea to guilty as part of a plea deal.
Loughlin was subsequently sentenced to two months in prison, a $150,000 fine, two years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. Mossimo, for his part, was ordered to five months behind bars, a $250,000 fine, two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service.
While Mossimo, who debuted a new look before his sentence began, kept his statement at his virtual hearing brief on August 21, Loughlin got visibly emotional as she addressed the judge hours after her husband.
“I went along will the plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process,” she said. “While I wish I could go back and do things differently, I can only take responsibility and move forward. I have great faith in God and I believe in redemption and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good and give back for the rest of my life.”
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