Lori Loughlin told daughters they needed to do better in high school, new court doc alleges
BOSTON — Actress Lori Loughlin told her two daughters they needed to do better in high school as she was plotting to get them admitted into the University of Southern California as fake crew recruits, prosecutors allege in new court documents.
The detail came from Rick Singer, the mastermind of a nationwide college admissions scheme, in an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation before Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannuli, were charged with federal crimes in March.
Both have pleaded not guilty to fraud, bribery and money laundering charges for paying $500,000 in bribes to Singer in exchange for orchestrating their daughters' admissions into USC. Singer, who has pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, started cooperating with prosecutors last year.
More: Lori Loughlin's attorneys argue feds are concealing evidence in college admissions scandal
The U.S. Attorney's Office summarized what Singer and other witnesses told the FBI about Loughlin and Giannulli in a Nov. 27 letter to the celebrity couple's attorneys. The letter is attached to a motion filed by the couple's defense Friday that accuses prosecutors of concealing evidence in the case — namely FBI "302 reports" that detail statements and interview notes taken during the "Varsity Blues" college admissions investigation.
"Lori Loughlin was in charge and told the couple’s daughters that they needed to do better in high school," U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling wrote in the letter, recounting what Singer told the FBI.
The letter came in response to the couple's attorneys' requests for the government to hand over FBI's witness interviews, which they've argued would prove Loughlin and Giannulli thought they made "legitimate donations" when they paid $500,000 to Singer's nonprofit, the Key Worldwide Foundation, and USC. Instead of turning over the FBI "302" reports, prosecutors summarized the contents.
Singer also told the FBI that he warned Giannulli that a college counselor at Marymount High School, where the daughters attended, "could mess things up," according to their summary of Singer's FBI interview.
The warning came after the counselor allegedly started asking questions about why Olivia Jade, the couple's younger daughter, was admitted to USC as a crew recruit when she did not play the sport. Singer told Giannulli to speak to the counselor, Singer said in his interview with the FBI.
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Singer also told the FBI that he did not have to describe how the side-door admissions scheme would work for Olivia Jade because they had already used it for Isabella, their oldest.
Josh Adams, USC’s crew coach, told the FBI that, although not typical, the USC crew team sometimes takes recruits without experience, according to the letter.
According to prosecutors, Jacqueline Landry, dean of school at Marymount High School, said Giannulli told the school's college counselor that Olivia rowed crew at a private club. Landry said she told Giannulli that Marymount would not interfere with Olivia’s application to USC.
Lelling, in the letter summarizing the FBI interviews, said he does not believe any of the material sought by the defense is exculpatory, but chose to disclose it "in an abundance of caution."
But Loughlin and Giannulli's attorneys, in their motion last week, asked a judge to intervene to force prosecutors to force the release of the full original FBI reports as they prepare for trial next year.
More: Judge calls USC dad a 'thief,' gives longest prison sentence so far in college admissions scandal
They say they need "any statements by Singer as to what he precisely told his clients" about the use of their funds. They also say they need statements detailing what USC knew of Singer's operation, arguing that if they did know about the operation but accepted money anyway then the university was not bribed or defrauded.
Fifty-three people, including 36 parents as well as college coaches, have been charged in the college admissions case. Thirty have either pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty later while the remaining 23 prepare for trial.
Thirteen parents, including actress Felicity Huffman, have been sentenced for paying into Singer's scheme. All but one has received prison time.
Reach Joey Garrison and on Twitter @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lori Loughlin told Olivia Jade to do better at school: court docs
