People USA – September 02, 2019

place, but they both have a big group of friends,”

says a longtime Loughlin pal. “None of their

friends have turned on them. It’s the opposite.”

Loughlin and Giannulli are due back in court Aug. 27,

when they’re expected to waive their rights to sep-

arate attorneys, as both are being represented by

attorneys from the same law firm in order to put

forth a “united front.” According to legal expert

James J. Leonard Jr., Esq., that decision comes

with one potential downside. “The risk with any

joint defense is that one defendant may be more

culpable than another and the less culpable defen-

dant could suffer as a result of a strategy designed

to protect that individual,” says Leonard. Since

neither Loughlin nor Giannulli has a criminal

record, if they are convicted of the same offens-

es, Leonard adds, the judge will likely hand down

identical sentences. And given their celebrity sta-

tus and the nature of the crimes with which they

have been charged, it’s possible prosecutors could

try to make an example of them. “The government

often utilizes high-profile cases to send a message

to the general public,” says Leonard. “The mes-

sage is, ‘If you engage in this type of behavior, then

this will happen to you no matter who you are.’ ”

Regardless of the outcome, the couple are com-

mitted to sticking together. “Lori and Mossimo

are united in this,” says the Loughlin legal source.

“They’re going to face this together, and they believe

that together they can beat this and move on with

their lives. You won’t see one of them turning on

the other.” For now the pair are busy preparing for

their day in court. Loughlin remains in “constant

communication” with her legal team and is keeping

“meticulous records” on everything—including the

other defendants and their plea deals. “She wants

to know who is getting what punishment and how

their cases differ from hers.” Still, fear creeps in.

“Waiting is excruciating for any criminal defendant,

because there’s always a sense of ‘what if ?’ ” says the

source. “It’s very easy to get paranoid: ‘What is the

state thinking? Are they talking about me? Are they

planning more charges?’ Not knowing is the most

difficult part.” Which is all the more reason Lough-

lin and Giannulli are eager for the case to move

forward, so they can put an end to the self- imposed

purgatory they’ve been living in. “Lori is ready for

this to be over,” says the source. “They all are. At this

point it would be better to spend a few months in

jail—because she’s been spending the last several

months in her own prison.”

With reporting by Pernilla Cedenheim, Christina Dugan,

Steve Helling and Linda Marx

aren’t true. She honestly didn’t think what she was

doing was any different than donating money for a

library or athletic field. That’s the crux of why she

pleaded not guilty.” Amid the stressful legal pro-

ceedings, the family have continued to lean on one

another. Shortly after the news broke, Loughlin’s

daughters went silent on social media as rumors

of friction among the foursome swirled. But Olivia

and Bella returned to Instagram in July with lov-

ing birthday posts for their mother—a very public

show of support. While the ordeal has undoubted-

ly taken its toll, Loughlin’s daughters are standing

firmly by her and will continue to do so. Says the

source: “They’ll be the first ones to visit her if she

does have to spend time in jail.” Olivia and Bella

are also getting support from their inner circle.

“Bella still lives at home, and Olivia has her own

‘LORI IS

DETERMINED

TO GET

BEYOND THIS’

—HOLLYWOOD

SOURCE

46 September 2, 2019 PEOPLE

The Desperate Housewives star, 56, tearfully pleaded guilty to a mail-

fraud charge on May 13. “I accept full responsibility for my actions,”

Huffman said in April of paying Rick Singer $15,000 to have her

oldest daughter’s SAT answers corrected by a proctor. Prosecutors have

recommended four months in jail and a $20,000 fine as a part of her

plea agreement. As Huffman awaits her sentencing on Sept. 13, she

has been doing her best to keep a low profile. After starring in

Netflix’s acclaimed miniseries When They See Us, she opted not to

be submitted for consideration for an Emmy nomination.

MORE CASES

MOVE FORWARD

Singer, 58, is due to be sentenced

for money laundering, racketeering,

obstruction of justice and tax fraud on

Sept. 19. The ringleader’s willingness

to help the investigation by giving

Feds the names of parents involved

will likely help him in court. “The

government made a deal with the

devil in this case,” says Leonard.

“Singer is the mastermind behind this scheme and will undoubtedly

receive a reduced sentence in exchange for his cooperation.”

On June 12 the former Stanford University sailing

coach, 41, who pleaded guilty to racketeering

conspiracy, became the first person involved

in the scandal to be sentenced. Vandemoer

received two years’ supervised release, a $10,000

fine—and no jail time. He must spend the first

six months of the sentence under house arrest.

John Vandemoer

FR

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