Lori Loughlin and 15 Others Face New Charges in College Admissions Scheme
New indictments for money laundering were announced Tuesday.
Actress Lori Loughlin arrives at federal court in Boston on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, to face charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
A new set of indictments has been handed down to 16 parents related to the unfolding college admissions scandal, including actress Lori Loughlin.
A federal grand jury added new charges related to the way parents allegedly funneled money to William “Rick” Singer in an effort to get their children admitted to elite universities with bribes for phony test results and bogus recommendations from coaches. Singer has pleaded guilty to federal counts for conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice.
Loughlin and her husband, the fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, were among those given additional charges for “conspiring to launder the bribes and other payments in furtherance of the fraud by funneling them through Singer’s purported charity and his for-profit corporation, as well as by transferring money into the United States, from outside the United States, for the purpose of promoting the fraud scheme,” U.S. Attorney’s Andrew Lelling’s office said in an announcement Tuesday.
They face one count each of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering, charges that carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Additionally, the mail fraud charge could lead to a fine of at least $250,000, and the money laundering charge at least $500,000, according to the announcement.
The announcement comes a day after actress Felicity Huffman and 13 others named in the scandal said in court documents they planned to plead guilty to the charges they face. Huffman is accused of paying $15,000 to secure phony SAT scores for her daughter. Prosecutors reportedly are reportedly recommending she receive a $20,000 fine and 12 months of supervised release.
Loughlin, known for starring on the show “Full House,” has not spoken publicly about the charges. At her appearance in Boston last week she was greeted by a crowd of adoring fans.
#BREAKING: 16 parents involved in #CollegeAdmissionsScandal indicted by federal grand jury in #Boston. Defendants will be arraigned in Boston at a date to be determined. https://t.co/eqMIN88P6q #CollegeCheatingScandal
— U.S. Attorney MA (@DMAnews1) April 9, 2019
