FILE - In this April 3, 2019, file photo, actress Lori Loughlin, front, and her husband, clothing designer Mossimo Giannulli, left, depart federal court in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, have agreed to plead guilty to charges in the college admissions bribery case and serve two months in prison, according to court papers filed Thursday.
The couple agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in a plea agreement filed in Boston’s federal court. The charge carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Prosecutors have agreed to dismiss charges of money laundering and federal programs bribery that were added after the case was filed.
“Under the plea agreements filed today, these defendants will serve prison terms reflecting their respective roles in a conspiracy to corrupt the college admissions process and which are consistent with prior sentences in this case," said United States Attorney Andrew Lelling. "We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions.”
An attorney for the couple declined to comment.
Loughlin and Giannulli previously pleaded not guilty and firmly insisted on their innocence even as other parents reached deals with prosecutors. The couple are the 23rd and 24th parents to plead guilty in the case.
Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters into the University of Southern California as crew team recruits, even though neither of them played the sport.
Capitol Hill has a fox problem. And that’s not the lead-in to a joke. Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., learned firsthand Monday evening while walking to the Capitol for votes.
Two of naturalist Charles Darwin’s notebooks that were reported stolen from Cambridge University have been returned, two decades after they disappeared.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a heartbreaking plea to the U.N. Security Council, so much Elon Musk news, and an actual fox attacks a lawmaker this time. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
Mattel’s Hot Wheels 2022 Legend Tour will be coming to New York City after a tour of 14 countries and five continents. The company is also launching Hot Wheels into the NFT space with the Hot Wheels Garage allowing users to customize digital cars. Richard Dickson, president and COO of Mattel, joined Cheddar News to talk about the tour and the efforts the iconic brand is taking to stay relevant in the digital age. "I think as you look at what's successful brands and toy brands in particular in this particular chapter are going to be about nostalgic brands that have longevity," he said. "We're generational in the context of our portfolio."
The pandemic has seen a historic shift in brand loyalty.
Since the beginning of COVID-19, more than 75% of shoppers have changed their buying habits, and 39% have switched brands or retailers entirely, as inflation and supply shortages have forced them to rethink their purchases, according to McKinsey. Barbara Connors, VP of Commercial Insights at 84.51°, breaks down this shift in brand loyalty and how brands are adapting to it.
Despite headwinds from COVID-19, Omni Hotels and Resorts has been able to stay on track, with many new properties in the works. The hotel and resorts chain has also seen a 50% uptick in revenue across all of its locations compared to its levels in 2019. Peter Strebel, President & CEO of Omni Hotels & Resorts, joined Cheddar to talk about how Omni was able to emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, and give insight into the expected summer travel surge.
April is World Autism Month. Pamela Dixon, director of clinical services and inclusion at Autism Speaks, joins Cheddar News to discuss the importance of supporting people with autism this month and beyond.
Netflix has created a listing of movies, each around 90 minutes long, to appease users who might be looking for less of a time sink. This comes after a recent SNL sketch featuring Pete Davidson pleading for more "Short A** Movies" in a rap song.
