College Admissions Scandal Update: Lori Loughlin's 'Gamble' Before Trial May Result In Harsher Sentence

As Lori Loughlin approaches her upcoming trial for her alleged participation in the national college admissions scam, some have started to question the legal advice that the "Fuller House" star has been getting prior to her court date.

In 2019, both Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were accused of paying William "Rick" Singer $500,000 so that their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, could attend the University of Southern California (USC). After the allegations, they were subsequently charged with mail and wire fraud, honest services mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.

Now, legal analyst Mercedes Colwin revealed that she believes the "When Calls the Heart" star may have made some missteps leading up to her trial.

According to Fox News, Colwin said that she believed that the couple did not anticipate that they would one day face money laundering charges when they refused to take a plea deal.

"So I think it was a gamble, and a gamble that, frankly, given all of the other parents who've pled, who really have light sentences... it was a gamble they lost," she said.

READ: College Admissions Scandal Update: Lori Loughlin Could Go To Prison 'Earlier Than She Anticipated'

Unlike Loughlin, "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman took a plea deal in 2019 for her own involvement in the admissions scam. After paying Singer $15,000 to change her daughter's test scores, she was sentenced to 14 days in prison.

Since being granted early release, Huffman has gone on to begin fulfilling her court-ordered community service. It has also been said that networks have been scrambling to secure her first interview after being released and that the "harsh" time she spent behind bars changed her outlook moving forward.

Aside from the aforementioned choice made by Loughlin, it has also been reported that she has been taking a "grueling" step behind the scenes and working to avoid a potential challenge down the road. Additionally, it has been said that she could be facing a "possible showdown" in court and that she believes she has a "secret weapon" that will ultimately prove her innocence.