Unless you're living under a rock, in which case I recommend you remain there and do NOT come out, you know that Lori Loughlin, aka "Aunt Becky" on Full House (and also Fuller House but we try to forget that one) was among a group of 33 parents arrested in March and accused of spending millions in illegal bribes to get their children into elite colleges. The whole thing was pretty bonkers and you can read the bonker-est details here.
AUNT BECKY, HOW COULD YOU?! Shutterstock
The charges left many people in shock, although IMHO it's not that shocking to hear that rich, white people in America tried to use their wealth and privilege to get (even further) ahead by breaking the law. We should all know by now that America runs on two things: 1) Dunkin', and 2) white collar crime.
But for some reason America expected more from dear, precious Aunt Becky. And we should not have. Lori Loughlin and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, were accused of paying $500,000 to a college admissions "counseling company" called Key Worldwide Foundation (“KWF”), which helped them get their two daughters, 19-year-old Olivia Jade, and 20-year-old Isabella Rose, into USC as athletic recruits for the crew team, even though neither of them actually had ever rowed crew. Embarrassing!
Shutterstock
But although there's nothing weird, to me, about Aunt Becky breaking the law, there is something very weird about her behavior in the past few months during court proceedings. Last month, Loughlin and her husband reportedly refused offers of plea deals that would've required them to serve about two years in prison. This led prosecutors to hit them with a superseding indictment which included much more severe charges of money laundering conspiracy. These two separate charges would come with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison each. For comparison, actor Felicity Huffman, who was also one of the parents involved in "Operation Varsity Blues," plead guilty and, as a result, is expected to serve 4-to-6 months of jail time.
But why would Aunt Becky refuse a plea deal that could've saved her dozens of years in prison? According to a report in People, Loughlin refused to plead guilty because she truly doesn't believe she's guilty. And she thinks she was just doing what "any mom would have done." Umm, what?! A source close to Lori told People:
It’s just taking some time for it to sink in that what she was allegedly doing could be considered illegal...From the beginning, she didn’t want to take a deal, because she felt that she hadn’t done anything that any mom wouldn’t have done, if they had the means to do so. So this wasn’t her being obstinate; this was her truly not understanding the seriousness of the allegations.
To make things worse for her, Aunt Becky has been reported as showing a "lack of remorse" during the court proceedings. And that's a big no-no when you're trying to get away with a serious crime. A legal expert told Rolling Stone: "Prosecutors and judges want to see remorse. They want to see you understand culpability. She showed none of that.”
Back in April, Lori Laughlin and her husband made headlines when they arrived by PRIVATE JET to their first court appearance, and even stopped to sign autographs outside their hotel, Buzzfeed reported. And it was widely reported that she was "all smiles" as she was greeted by screaming fans, and some not-fans, outside the courthouse.
I mean, you can't blame a gal for trying to maintain a happy face during a dark time. But is this woman delusional for thinking she can plead "not guilty" to a crime that literally everyone knows she committed?? Quite possibly.
According to a new report in , Loughlin STILL THINKS SHE'S INNOCENT. Umm, does she even read the news? “[Lori] still believes she did the right thing by rejecting a guilty plea,” a source told People, adding: “She is a fighter.” Well, we can't argue with that last part—she's a fighter alright, and she's fighting the LAW.
White collar criminals? THESE people? Shutterstock
Aunt Becky's delusion could have serious consequences. Loughlin and Giannulli are now facing not one but TWO charges: conspiracy to commit mail fraud (the original charge), and conspiracy to commit money laundering (the second, which they received after refusing to accept a plea deal for the first). They plan to plead not guilty to both. But if charged guilty in court, they could receive up to 40 years total in prison. Goddamn. Will a rich white lady finally face long-term consequences for illegal behavior, in AMERICA of all places? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
