Lori Loughlin Is Expected to Plead Not Guilty to New Bribery Charges
UPDATED, Nov. 20 at 11:15 a.m.: Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli pleaded not guilty to the new federal bribery charges in a court filing which was submitted earlier this month, according to the New York Post. A federal judge signed off on their plea on Tuesday of this week, and their arraignment was waived.
Lori Loughlin and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, are expected to plead not guilty to the new federal bribery charges that were brought against them last week, according to People.
The outlet reports that the couple is asking that their upcoming Nov. 20 arraignment be waived; if the judge approves the request, the couple's lawyers will attend the arraignment on their behalf, and will enter the not guilty pleas.
In addition to the federal bribery charges, which carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years, the couple was also indicted for money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud. For those charges alone, Loughlin and Giannulli are facing up to 40 years in prison.
People reported earlier this week that the Loughlin, 55, is "terrified" by the new bribery charge. “This stress is about to break them,” a source told the outlet. “They feel like this is David versus Goliath. How do you go up against the federal government, when the government has decided to make an example out of you? How can you possibly move forward from this?”
RELATED: Lori Loughlin Is Reportedly "Terrified" of Her New Charges
Loughlin and Giannulli have been accused of paying $500,000 to have their daughters, Bella and Olivia Jade, fraudulently admitted to the University of Southern California.
Last month, fellow actress Felicity Huffman served 11 days of her 14-day sentence at a correctional faciltiy in Dublin, Calif. for her role in the college admissions scandal.
