Lori Loughlin & Mossimo Giannulli's Plan To Win At Trial Weighs On Check Written To USC!

The new year may have meant a fresh start for most people, but for Lori Loughlin, she’s got eyes on her upcoming trial date over her alleged involvement in the college admissions scandal.

The former Fuller House star and her husband Mossimo Giannulli could very well appear at a January 17 status conference, but we’re not holding our breaths as the couple has doubled down on their innocence.

Pleading not guilty, TMZ claims new info behind their defense reveals USC‘s former Athletic Director Pat Haden could be a key witness, as he’s been open about the school’s push to fundraise money. He’s on the college’s YouTube channel HERE in a video from 2011 talking about “feeding the beast” through the “fundraising trail.” Haden also spoke about “at least a third” of his job is working on raising funds, so you can only imagine the pressure the department has to acquire any dollars and cents they can!

So, what does this mean for Olive Jade and Isabella Rose‘s parents?

Well, their defense is trying to prove they never BRIBED former Senior Associate Athletic Director Donna Heinel because while Mossimo did write her a check for $50,000, the payee was USC. Of course, this was all part of Rick Singer‘s plan.

“Donations” like the check Giannulli wrote are apparently more than welcome by the university, as the outlet describes it as an “institutionalized form of admission for a price.”

The mastermind behind Operation Varsity Blues also told the fashion designer to write him a check for $200K, which went to funding one of Singer’s charities, AKA not a bribe.

Where the U.S. Attorney’s team may feel like they have Lori and Mossimo caught is in the $20,000/month check Singer would give Heinel, which could be proof of a bribe. However, the money was sent AFTER their daughters were accepted into USC! Plus, it’s being said those large checks weren’t just covering for these parents, but other families, as well. AND since Singer was the one slinging the money, it should be on him.

Guess there’s a way they could wiggle their way out of that mess!

If anything, this could go to show corruption on the university’s part, though a rep on their behalf has said an investigation is still ongoing.

Luckily for the actress and her hubby, they’ll also be using info learned from Felicity Huffman‘s case to support theirs, like how the judge rejected prosecutors’ claim that worthy applicants did not get admitted to the school, saying there was no victim.

Will a victimless crime really prove their innocence?

We’ll certainly be finding out when the trial goes into swing supposedly this spring.

[Image via Adriana M. Barraza/Dimitri Halkidis/WENN]