Actress Lori Loughlin, her husband and 14 other parents involved in the massive college admissions scheme were hit with additional charges on Tuesday, including a count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to federal officials.
Loughlin, her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, and the other parents were indicted on charges of conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced Tuesday.
Lori Loughlin, husband hit with new money laundering charge in #CollegeCheatingScandalhttps://t.co/FIA2WWecjNpic.twitter.com/Iji4tZYfHD
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 9, 2019
Loughlin and Giannulli had already been indicted on a federal charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, which, if convicted, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, ABC Newsreports.
The new indictment alleges that Loughlin and Giannulli attempted to “conceal and disguise the nature, location, ownership, and control” of their bribes to William “Rick” Singer, who federal investigators have identified as the ringleader of the admissions scam, as donations to fund programs for “disadvantaged youth” through Singer’s sham charity, Key Worldwide Foundation
After receiving the bribes, officials at Key Worldwide Foundation then issued letters “falsely attesting that the purported donation would help ‘provide educational and self-enrichment programs to disadvantaged youth.’”
The new charges come just a day after actress Felicity Huffman and 13 other defendants charged in the probe, which has been dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues,” pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and fraud in the scheme, HuffPost reports.
Though Loughlin, Giannulli and the other defendants have not taken a plea deal, the new indictments announced Tuesday do not prevent them from doing so, The Los Angeles Times reports. However, the additional charges could result in more substantial sentences than what Huffman and the others that have already entered into guilty pleas might receive.
Loughlin, who is best known for her role as Aunt Becky on the sitcom Full House, is one of dozens of parents and coaches that have been indicted in the nationwide scam to secure their students’ admission into elite colleges.
Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to have their two daughters recruited to the University of Southern California’s crew team “despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.”