Lori Loughlin pleads not guilty — again — in college admissions scandal
Lori Loughlin has pleaded not guilty — again.
Through her legal team, the Full House actress, 55, waived her court appearance on Monday and entered a not guilty plea to the latest set of charges in the college admissions scheme.
“Defendant and her counsel affirm that Ms. Loughlin has received a copy of the Fourth Superseding Indictment and that Ms. Loughlin pleads not guilty to each of the counts against her," her attorney Sean M. Berkowitz wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “Therefore Ms. Loughlin respectfully requests that the Court accept this waiver and enter Ms. Loughlin’s plea of not guilty.”
The plea was strictly procedural. It was triggered by one of the other defendants in the case, John Wilson, being slapped with an additional charge on Jan. 14 of filing a false tax return. Therefore, all of the defendants charged in the same superseding indictment (now the fourth) had to be arraigned or waive their appearance and enter a plea of not guilty.
Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are both accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to disgraced college admissions expert William “Rick” Singer to get their daughters, Isabella and Olivia Jade Giannulli, into the University of Southern California as crew recruits, despite neither woman playing the sport.
Loughlin and Giannulli, who maintain their innocence, have two more court appearances scheduled — status conferences on Feb. 27 and May 2. They are not required to attend either one.
Mastermind Singer, who is cooperating with prosecutors, pleaded guilty last year and is awaiting sentencing.
The legal team for Loughlin and Giannulli are working hard to build their defense. Last week, there was a filing in the case requesting copies of Singer’s text and phone conversations that include any mentions he made about connections with universities, celebrities, business leaders or NBA athletes, per the Boston Herald. The defendants said Singer boasted to his potential love interests about his well-known connections — and in some cases lied — and they want transcripts of those conversations.
A separate request is pending in which defendants seek FBI reports of their interviews with Singer.
The Giannulli girls are no longer USC students, it was confirmed in October, but they are back full-time on social media. Influencer Olivia Jade happily showed off her red lipstick on Monday as her mom was pleading not guilty.
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