The college admissions scandal might be out of our social media timelines and trending hashtags, but it is still a very real thing for Lori Loughlin.
Loughlin, who has reportedly lost work and friends over the scandal the FBI dubbed Operation Varsity Blues, is now second-guessing her decision to plead not guilty, according to Entertainment Tonight.
While others involved in the scandal have taken plea deals, a source told ET that Loughlin is questioning whether she made the right decision. The difference in jail time for a guilty plea versus a not guilty one is staggering. Felicity Huffman pleaded guilty and, as a result, only faces up to four months in jail. ET’s unnamed source explained that Loughlin is taking everything one day at a time. "This has been such a tough time for her, she has had good days and bad but right now the reality that she is facing jail becomes more real,” they said.
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Loughlin and her husband, clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli, could face jail time after pleading not guilty to the charges of fraud, bribery, and money laundering for allegedly paying $500,000 to get their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, into the University of Southern California by falsifying their recruitment to the school’s crew team. After initially rejecting a plea deal because they believed prosecutors were bluffing, the possible sentencing time increased from up to two and a half years to up to 20 years.
Since the scandal has emerged, Loughlin’s relationships with her daughters have been strained, Hallmark Channel has severed ties with her, and everything from Loughlin’s outfits to whether she smiles in court has been analyzed. Olivia Jade reportedly “blames her parents for everything” and has been trying to distance herself from the scandal by going dark on social media for the next year.
With the trial still ahead of them, legal experts believe that Loughlin and Giannulli’s best defense is to own up to “parenting on steroids” with the hope that the court will decide on a lesser sentence.