We have an update on the Lori Loughlin college cheating scandal that continues to rock the nation. As previously reported, the actress forever known as Aunt Becky was arrested on Wednesday afternoon. She was taken into custody by FBI agents in California after returning to the United States from Vancouver, where she had been filming a television show. We can now also report that Loughlin subsequently appeared before a judge in Los Angeles, where her bail was set at $1 million, the same amount also set for her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli. Giannulli was not in court on Wednesday, but both individuals were set free after securing this amount against their home, as well as other assets. Judge Steve Kim originally said at the hearing that he wasn’t “comfortable” providing Loughlin with her passport — but then relented and set conditions for her work. For example, Loughlin may head to Vancouver to film two more projects in April and May and then to this same city in July for a series. But she must surrender her passport in December. Loughlin will also face charges in Boston Federal Court on March 29. As you’ve likely read about by now… the actress is in a boatload of trouble. Along with Felicity Huffman and 48 other, less famous men and women, Loughlin is accused of illegally funneling money to a middle man in California. This man then worked with an employee at the University of Southern California to break the law and submit Loughlin’s daughter’s as applicants for entry under false pretenses. And Loughlin’s case is especially galling. The mother of two and allegedly gave $500,000 to say her daughter Olivia Jade was part of her high school rowing team. She even had Olivia pose for photos on a rowing machine to make this fradulent argument. Using this bribery money, along with the fake picture and other phony/doctored pieces of information, Olivia was submitted to USC as a prospective athlete, which lowered her admission standards. According to the official indictment, Loughlin and her husband “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team – despite the fact that they did not participate in crew – thereby facilitating their admission to USC.” On Tuesday morning, news went viral of an FBI investigation (amazingly code-named “Operation Varsity Blues”) into a group of wealthy parents who are accused of paying between $200,000 and $6.5 million to admit their children into elite universities. Their reported schemes include everything from faking SAT and ACT scores to paying college coaches to have their children designated as athletic recruits, as is the case here. Making matters a million times worse for Loughlin? Olivia Jade is some sort of huge social media star who said on video last year that she’s only at school to party. Moreover, per TMZ, she spent Tuesday night on the yacht of the Chairman of USC’s Board of Trustees! This was after news of the scandal broke! These people are the worst! Huffman, for her part, allegedly gave $15,000 “to participate in the college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her oldest daughter,” the indictment states. She was arrested on Tuesday and released on a $250,000 bond. More than four dozen people have been charged in the nationwide scam, which is alleged to have placed students in top-tier schools such as Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, the University of Southern California, UCLA and the University of Texas. Ths investigation into these sordid affairs took place over the course of about a year. Loughlin has since deleted all her social media accounts and has not yet said anything about the scandal. She really may end up in prison .
Link:
Lori Loughlin Free on $1 Million Bond, Must Surrender Passport
