The nationwide college admissions scandal trial will go on as planned. A judge refused to dismiss the charges against Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli and several other parents connected to the case, Us Weekly can confirm.
“After consideration of the extensive briefing, affidavits and other information provided by the government and defendants, the Court is satisfied that the government has not lied to or misled the Court,” the legal documents obtained by Us read.
The 55-year-old Full House alum and the 56-year-old fashion designer filed a petition for the court to drop the bribery, money laundering and fraud charges against them in March. Loughlin and Giannulli, who were accused of paying bribes to facilitate daughters Bella and Olivia Jade’s admission into the University of Southern California as crew recruits, cited “extraordinary government misconduct” in the docs. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.
A source told Us earlier this month that the couple were confident the judge would side with them, claiming prosecutors “withheld key evidence” that mastermind Rick Singer “was pressured by the FBI to lie in the course of his conversations” with Loughlin.
“It was entrapment, misleading a defendant so that Rick could get a favorable sentence for his role. Rick was the mastermind in all of this,” the source said. “Lori’s team is asking that the charges be dismissed entirely or for the recorded telephone conversations to be suppressed, meaning, the jury can’t hear it.”
The insider noted that Loughlin isn’t going down without a fight.
“If the judge doesn’t dismiss or suppress the phone conversations, Lori’s lawyers will grill Rick Singer on the stand. Singer could actually become a witness for the defense even though he has been cooperating with the feds,” the source told Us. “Prosecutors are compelled to call Singer to the stand, and if they don’t, Lori’s team will. Expect the FBI agents that also worked the case that Rick mentions will also be subjected to increased scrutiny by Lori’s defense team.”
Hours before the judge’s decision was made public on Friday, a second source told Us that Loughlin and Giannulli’s youngest daughter is on edge about the scandal.
“Olivia is in a very tense state of mind recently. She has good days and bad [days],” the source said, noting she leans on boyfriend Jackson Guthy. “He’s so chill and laid-back that she can’t help but be comfortable around him.”
In February, photos of both Bella, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20, on rowing machines were released by prosecutors. The source noted to Us that the girls fear additional photos or facts from the case could be released soon.
“Olivia and her sister are hoping protectors aren’t going to release anymore embarrassing photos or information leading up to the trial,” which is set for October.
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