Lori Loughlin ought to have been paying attention to Toby MacFarlane‘s guilty plea in the college admissions scandal because the sentence just handed down to him could be a guideline for what the Fuller House star may soon be facing…
You probably don’t know MacFarlane’s name, but he’s a 56-year-old real estate exec in California who, like Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, got caught up in what is being dubbed as Operation Varsity Blues. We mention him now because, on Wednesday, he copped a guilty plea on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, and was sentenced to SIX MONTHS in prison.
Related: Bob Saget Offers Lori His Undying Support!
Why does that matter, you ask? Well, the charges against MacFarlane were nearly the exact same as the allegations currently levied against the former Summerland star and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli. And if Toby still got six months in prison even after owning up to it and copping a plea over the whole thing, well, what might be in store for Lori and her hubby as they try to fight the feds with their day in court?! Yeesh…
According to CNN, a southern California judge found the real estate head honcho had lied about his children’s athletic backgrounds in order to get them into the University of Southern California. Sound familiar? MacFarlane then copped to working with William “Rick” Singer to bribe his kids’ way into the prestigious school, eventually paying upwards of $450,000 to secure each of them spots there. Hmmm…
Further reporting from the San Diego Union-Tribune discovered his daughter had already graduated from the school with a business degree before the ruse was discovered. She had been admitted as a “star soccer player” despite the small problem that, well, she never played the sport in her life.
Then, in 2017, the real estate exec’s son applied to USC claiming he was 6’1″ (the Union-Tribune reports he was really 5’5″) and had been a four-year varsity basketball player in high school when in reality he only played in his senior season. Apparently, MacFarlane’s son dropped out of USC rather quickly, however; he was already gone by the time the gavel came down on this case in US District Court.
Nevertheless, the judge in the case, District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton, had little sympathy for the exec during sentencing, according to USA TODAY, saying his actions “should be tolerated as much as the actions of a common thief, because that’s what you are — a thief.”
And in his own letter of apology to the judge, MacFarlane attempted to own up to some of it, writing (below):
“I knew it was wrong, but at the time I was feeling completely overwrought and all I could think of was not having to worry about my kids getting into college. Foolishly and selfishly, I took what seemed like an easy way out.”
Yeah, buddy, no kidding… but now you get some time in prison to think about all that, don’t ya?
In addition to serving time, his plea deal includes paying back $82,000 in taxes to the IRS, as well as serving 200 hours of community service, paying a $150,000 fine, and undergoing two years of supervised release after his prison stint is completed. He now becomes the thirteenth parent to be sentenced in this scandal, including Huffman. Ten others, including Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, are still battling the feds in court.
Look Out, Lori…
The severity of MacFarlane’s sentence ought not be lost on Loughlin; the (former?) TV star is facing the same charges as the now-sentenced real estate exec — conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud — as well as several more on the docket, including money-laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.
Furthermore, the alleged acts Loughlin and Giannulli supposedly committed are remarkably similar to the path MacFarlane chose. As you’ll recall, the famous couple coughed up $500,000 to Singer to falsely designate daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli, 19, and Isabella Rose Giannulli, 20, as crew team members on their applications to the school, despite the fact that neither one had ever been on a crew team in their lives.
Related: Lori’s Daughters Are REALLY Upset About Her Refusal To Plead Out…
The similarities here run almost parallel, and yet the parents apparently still won’t take the benefit of a plea deal, potentially opening themselves up to a considerable amount of prison time if they’re found guilty in court. Obviously, the government still must make its case, and the allegedly wayward parents are innocent until proven guilty in that court of law, but wow… just the thought of the potential sentence ahead after seeing some of these plea deals like the one MacFarlane just took… it’s all pretty scary!!!
Reactions, Perezcious readers?! What do U think of this guy’s sentence here, and how does it make things look for Lori and Mossimo???
Sound OFF with all of your opinions on this whole ordeal in the comments (below)…
[Image via Brian To/WENN]
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