Lori Loughlin has been set free from prison! Yes, the 56-year-old actress served almost two months in jail after being involved in a college admissions scandal. The legal source confirmed that the actress was released in Dublin, California, from the federal facility on Dec. 28.
A couple of months ago, the When Calls the Heart star admitted that she was involved in the mail and commit wire fraud. Her husband Massimo Giannulli was also pleaded guilty for the same, including honest services wire fraud.
The fashion designer and the actress was not the only parents involved in the scandal. There were more than 50 parents who bribed at different levels to get their children into reputable universities.
As per the complaint filed against the couple, they bribed $500,000 to Key Worldwide Foundation and Rick Singer to let their daughters Isabella Rose Giannulli, 21 years old, and Olivia Jade Giannulli, 20 years old, get recruited to the University of Southern California's crew team. Although none of them has been a part of the sports team before.
Following the jail sentence, both the sisters were struggling, as per the source. The source explained that it was a nightmare for both the girls to see their mother say goodbye to them.
"They were very upset when they said goodbye to Lori. But to have both of their parents now in prison at the same time is very upsetting," the source added. A judge approved the plea deal on Aug. 21 and sentenced Loughlin to two months of prison, 150 hours of community service, and a $150,000 fine.
On the other hand, Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison, 250 hours of community service, and a $250,000 fine. Although the couple initially did not plead guilty in the court and stated that all the charges against them are false.
They claimed that the payments made from their account were school donations and not bribes. Another source previously revealed that both the sisters are doing much better now since their parents got convicted first.
The source further explained how both the sisters have become close to one another during this difficult time. Olivia appeared on Red Table Talk and disclosed that her family had admitted the crime internally, and now, they have admitted it publicly.
She also said that she didn't appear on the talk show to justify her parents or make excuses. She confessed that everyone in the family feels that they made a big mistake.