“Full House” actress Lori Loughlin refused to talk about the college admissions scandal when asked by a photographer over the weekend.
After a yoga session in Brentwood, California, on March 30, Loughlin was asked about the scandal by a TMZ paparazzo, who wondered whether or not she was afraid of potentially going to jail or whether she regretted how she handled her children’s education.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk to you,” she responded. “You can follow me around all day if you want, but I just can’t comment right now. But thank you for your time.”
According to TMZ, Loughlin “was polite but firm” and “did seem like she genuinely appreciated the camera guy wishing her well, though … she even called him ‘honey.'”
Lori Loughlin Spotted Leaving Yoga, Can’t Talk About College Bribery Case https://t.co/pihZCOjpgd
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 30, 2019
Loughlin, 54, was indicted along with her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, after federal officials said they paid $500,000 to get daughters Olivia Jade, 19, and Isabella, 20, into the University of Southern California (USC) by being designated recruits for the crew team, despite the girls not rowing at a competitive level.
Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly paid William “Rick” Singer, who ran a nonprofit and pleaded guilty to orchestrating the nationwide scheme. The couple was scheduled to appear in court on April 3.
Because Isabella’s grades didn’t meet the standards of the school, her father asked Singer for help.
Singer at one point said he’d discussed getting the girls into the school with a former athletic director, who believed they could tap the celebrity couple for $1 million or more. Instead, the bribes came to about half a million and got both girls in.
While Giannulli did most of the work for Isabella, Loughlin was more involved with getting Olivia Jade into the college, including sending an email to Singer and Olivia Jade, asking his guidance on how to complete the formal USC application after Olivia Jade was accepted as a crew recruit.
“[Our younger daughter] has not submitted all her colleges [sic] apps and is confused on how to do so. I want to make sure she gets those in as I don’t want to call any attention to [her] with our little friend as [her high school]. Can you tell us how to proceed?” Loughlin wrote.
Investigators said that Isabella Loughlin posed on an ergometer for a picture that her father sent to Singer to use in the crew application but it wasn’t clear if she was aware of the scheme. It was also not clear if Olivia Jade was aware of what transpired between Singer and her parents.
Loughlin’s younger daughter, though, later spoke several times about not being invested in school even while attending USC.
Singer called Loughlin in November 2018 and said he was being audited by the IRS. He was working with federal investigators at the time. Singer told the actress that tax investigators might call her.
“I wanted to make sure that you knew, as well, if they happened to call you, is that nothing has been said about the girls, your donations helping the girls get into USC to do crew even though they don’t do crew,” Singer told her.
“So we—so we just—so we just have to say we made a donation to your foundation and that’s it, end of story,” Loughlin responded.
“That is correct,” Singer said.
“Okay,” Loughlin said.
“Terrific,” Singer replied.
“Okay,” Loughlin said.
“I just wanted to make sure I touched base because I didn’t want you to all of a sudden what—like what’s this call coming from.”
“Okay, yeah …” Loughlin said. “So it’s the IRS. It’s not anyone from USC, it’s the IRS,” she added.
“That is correct,” Singer said.
“Okay. Very good,” Loughlin said.
