Lori Loughlin Makes 1st Red Carpet Appearance Since College Admission Scandal
Lori Loughlin, who gained fame for her wholesome role of Aunt Becky in “Full House” attended her first event since the college admissions scandal in 2019. On Saturday, the 57-year-old actress appeared at the DesignCare 2022 Gala for the HollyRod Foundation in Los Angeles, California.
The foundation, led by Holly Robinson Peete and her husband Rodney Peete, works to help families with loved ones who have been diagnosed with autism or Parkinson’s Disease.
Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were arrested in March 2019 for involvement in the college admissions scandal. The couple was among the highest-profile defendants charged in the scheme, that shows the lengths some wealthy parents will go to get their children into elite universities. Authorities said parents funneled bribes through a fake charity run by an admissions consultant to get their kids into top schools with fake athletic credentials or rigged test scores.
The couple admitted in May 2020 to paying $500,000 to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew recruits even though neither girl was a rower. Their guilty plea was a shocking reversal for the couple, whose lawyers had maintained their innocence and accused investigators of fabricating evidence against them.
The only public comments either Loughlin or Giannulli, 59, made about the case since their arrest came at their sentencing hearings. Loughlin told the judge her actions “helped exacerbate existing inequalities in society” and pledged to do everything in her power to use her experience as a “catalyst to do good.”
Loughlin received two months in jail, a $150,000 fine, and 150 hours of community service. Giannulli received a five-month jail sentence, a $250,000 fine, and 250 hours of community service.
Loughlin started her prison sentence in October 2020. She was released later that year in December. Giannulli was booked into federal prison in November 2020 and released from home confinement in May 2021.