Lori Loughlin’s children are in academic limbo at the University of Southern California while the college conducts an internal investigation into the nationwide admissions scam and the alleged involvement of the actress and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli.
According to a USC statement, 20-year-old Bella and 19-year-old Olivia are not able to withdraw from the school pending a “case-by-case review” of potentially affected students. “USC has placed holds on the accounts of students who may be associated with the alleged admissions scheme,” the college says in the statement. “This prevents the students from registering for classes (until they have agreed to participate in the review of their case), withdrawing from the university, or acquiring transcripts while their cases are under review.”
The statement continues: “Among many factors investigators could consider in reviewing each case are any developments in the criminal cases, including plea deals by parents. Following these case-by-case reviews, we will take the proper action related to each student’s status, up to revoking admission or expulsion.”
While Loughlin’s daughters don’t need to attend class, or may be prevented from doing so while their cases are reviewed, it could affect their academic standing.
Loughlin, 54, and Giannulli, 55, allegedly paid bribes totaling $500,000 to get their two daughters “designated as recruits to the USC crew team” to get them admitted to the Los Angeles college “despite the fact that they did not participate in crew,” according to court documents.
The couple, along with actress Felicity Huffman and other defendants, appeared in a Boston court on Wednesday, April 3, and were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud. A judge told the defendants that they face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, three years’ probation and a $250,000 fine. (The Desperate Housewives alum, 56, pled guilty on Monday, April 8.)
The Fuller House actress was photographed hugging Isabella two days later. Olivia, meanwhile, is “not talking to her parents right now” and feels “hurt, devastated and resentful” toward Loughlin and Giannulli, a source told Us Weekly in March.
Around the same time, TMZ revealed that Olivia and Isabella planned to withdraw from USC to avoid bullying from classmates.
