If you didn’t think that this Lori Loughlin case could get any worse, think again. It turns out that Loughlin and other parents wrapped up in this case are now being accused of withholding major evidence, despite repeated attempts by prosecutors to obtain it.
It seems Aunt Becky and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are still not taking this case seriously despite how long it has gone on and what she is facing. Loughlin and others could see up to 10 years in jail and well over $1 million in fines.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for more information on Aunt Becky and her court woes.
It was in November of last year that Loughlin, standing next to her lawyers and husband of 23 years, pleaded “not guilty” in court to the charges.
She and Giannulli are accused of paying upwards of $500,000 to have their two daughters admitted into the University of Southern California. According to reports, the girls posed as athletes to gain admission.
Since the scandal broke last summer, both girls have left the school and turned to other opportunities. Lori was only one of many parents accused of bribing their way into schools, and Felicity Huffman of Desperate Housewives fame already pleaded “guilty” to her charges and served several days in jail.
A new filing by federal prosecutors this week indicates that Loughlin and the majority of other parents accused have not complied with federal orders to hand over evidence. Specifically, the parents and their lawyers are refusing to hand over what is called discovery materials.
Discovery materials are evidence that is required to be submitted to the opposing lawyers before the trial begins.
The filing states that “The government disagrees with the defendants’ assertation that it is premature to provide their own discovery. The government contends that it has complied with its discovery obligations and continues to comply with them … It is not premature to provide discovery, which they can later supplement, to the government as required by rules.”
Statements released by the defense attorneys of Aunt Becky and other accused parents suggest that the government is the one doing the withholding, however.
“The government appears to be concealing exculpatory evidence that helps show that both defendants believed all of the payments they made would go to USC itself – for legitimate, university-approved purposes,” a statement released late last year shared.
Whatever the reason for this famous duo to withhold evidence, it can’t be a good idea to mess with the court system. Lori has reportedly been working on learning “prison lingo” and self-defense leading up to the trial, which suggests she thinks she will see at least some time inside of a jail cell.
