Federal prosecutors released rowing photos from the ongoing college admissions scandal case against actress Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli on Wednesday. In the posed photos, the duo’s daughters, Isabella Rose, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20, are shown (faces blurred) working out on rowing machines.
According to court documents, the photos were submitted to William “Rick” Singer, the originator of the scam, to the University of Southern California (USC). Though both daughters applied to USC as rowing team recruits, neither ever participated in the sport. Falsified histories of competitions were also submitted to the university.
Court documents state Singer emailed Giannulli asking, “I need a PDF of her transcript and test scores very soon while I create a coxswain portfolio for her. It would probably help to get a picture with her on an ERG (ergometer indoor rowing machine) in workout clothes like a real athlete too.”
Per court documents, Giannulli emailed Singer Isabella Rose’s rowing photo on September 7, 2016. On July 28, 2017, a similar photo of Olivia Jade was submitted to Singer.
After Isabella Rose was admitted to USC, Giannulli sent the following email to an unidentified person.
NBC News reported, “Prosecutors released the pictures as evidence in their argument against a motion by defendants in the sprawling criminal case asking the court to dismiss charges.”
Loughlin and Mossimo are currently due in court on October 5, 2020, to stand trial on the following charges: Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and honest services mail and wire fraud; conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery; conspiracy to commit money laundering. Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose have not been charged with any crimes.
The couple has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, Loughlin and Giannulli face up to 45 years in prison.