If you’ve been following the Lori Loughlin legal drama as closely as we have, you may also have been starting to see cracks in the Full House star’s defensive strategy.
Back in March, Lori and husband Mossimo Giannulli were arrested and charged with fraud for their alleged role in the infamous college admissions scandal.
Per the indictment, the Giannullis paid “bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.” That big money made them among the biggest spenders — and unfortunately upped the amount of potential prison time for them.
Related: Lori’s Daughters Becoming Recluses Amid Scandal
So in April, along with just over a dozen others, they chose not to take the government’s plea bargain… and got hit with a felony money laundering charge which made their maximum sentence that much scarier!
Recently we heard Aunt Becky was trying to backtrack and get herself a plea deal after all. Her desire to pay tons of money in fines rather than serve prison time wasn’t at all realistic, but at least she wanted to come back to the negotiating table.
At the same time, we were hearing Moss was resolute in his not guilty plea. He still wants to fight the feds, despite the mountain of evidence presented in the indictment — including phone conversations in which the couple acknowledge the bribe and agree to lying to the government about the money being for charity.
OK, but what if she changes her plea? Doesn’t that hurt his case?
Well, the short answer is YES. YES IT DOES.
This is why it’s recommended even married couples get their own lawyers. However, just like in every other aspect of this case, these two (allegedly) unscrupulous parents are still in denial.
During a hearing on Tuesday, the couple had to show up in person to request to share the same legal team. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley not only reiterated to the couple they could have a conflict of interest on their hands, she asked them some seriously personal questions to make sure they even understood what a bad decision they were making.
Kelley straight up asked Aunt Becky and hubby if they were suffering from psychological issues, if they had an alcohol abuse problem, and if they were using illicit drugs.
Word to the wise: when someone asks ARE YOU HIGH?? you probably should re-evaluate your next decision. That advice goes for accepting a date with a guy who has a “No Regretz” face tattoo AND setting up a legal defense that’s likely to fall apart under the slightest scrutiny.
BTW, what is their legal defense exactly?
Basically, they’re playing dumb.
Their legal team is already calling Rick Singer, the fake charity founder who helped facilitate all the bribery, the “mastermind” and strongly implying Lori and Moss did not understand what was happening.
Essentially they’re putting it to prosecutors to prove the parents even knew they were committing a crime.
That is, in legal terms, total horse hockey. You can’t steal a car and then say, HEY IT WAS SITTING IN THE STREET, PROVE I DIDN’T KNOW I WASN’T ALLOWED TO TAKE IT.
Sorry, but there’s playing dumb and then there’s playing so impossibly dense it would be incongruous with your ability to dress yourself.
Whether this will convince a jury remains to be seen. We aren’t buying it.
[Image via FayesVision/Dimitri Haikidis/WENN.]
Related Posts
