Legal Experts Say Lori Loughlin Needs To Seek A Plea Deal Immediately
The infamous college admissions scandal has been a hot topic for months but is heating up even further now that Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman has been sentenced for her role in the scandal. Huffman will spend 14 days in prison, be forced to pay a $30,000 fine, will spend a year on probation, and will have to do community service work. Huffman’s sentencing helps shed some light on what kind of sentencing Full House star Lori Loughlin would be facing if she is convicted. Legal experts are saying Loughlin needs to change her strategy right away, according to Yahoo News.
Loughlin and her designer husband Mossimo Giannulli have been accused of paying $500,000 to the cheating scheme’s mastermind, Rick Singer. The money was an alleged bribe to ensure their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella were accepted into the University of Southern California. They also allegedly presented their daughters as crew recruits, despite the fact that neither girl is known to have ever participated in the sport.
Not only were Loughlin and Giannulli’s accused crimes far greater than Huffman’s, they also took on a different defense strategy than she did. Huffman showed remorse and pleaded guilty for her crimes. She apologized profusely, never denied her wrongdoing, and has been cooperative with the investigation. Essentially, Huffman did everything in her power to right her wrongs and still got jail time. Of course, 14 days might not seem like much, but it shows that the judge felt the star needed to spend actual time behind bars to understand the magnitude of her mistake.
Criminal defense attorney Matthew Maddox explained why he feels it is in Loughlin’s best interest to change her plea immediately.
Lori Loughlin’s Daughter Olivia Jade Had Trademark Applications Fixed, Plans Career Comeback With Beauty Brand – The Inquisitr News https://t.co/9D7ov0kKYL pic.twitter.com/ZAPJIz4STg
— Kulkarni Law Firm (@kulkarnilawfirm) April 24, 2019
“If I were on her legal team, I would warn her in the most stark terms that she should change her plea and seek a plea bargain. Her prospects for winning at trial are extremely poor and her sentence will not only be commensurate with her conduct, but by that late post-trial date, she will not be able to avail herself of any of the credits provided by federal sentence guidelines.”
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Loughlin and Giannulli could potentially spend years in prison if they are convicted. It’s also been reported that Loughlin originally wanted to take a plea deal but was dissuaded out of it by her husband. Giannulli reportedly convinced Loughlin that if they took a plea deal they would essentially be destroying their careers.
