College Admissions Scandal Update: Lori Loughlin's Trial May Be Postponed Due To 'Substantial Evidence'
Lori Loughlin has reportedly started getting ready for her upcoming court dates surrounding her alleged participation in the ongoing college admissions scam. However, if her lawyers have their way, she won't have a 2020 trial after all.
In 2019, Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer 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 each charged with mail and wire fraud, honest services mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.
Now, a new report has indicated that the "Fuller House" star's legal team wants to postpone the legal proceedings.
According to USA Today, attorney Sean Berkowitz, who is representing both Loughlin and Giannulli, stated that the two will not be ready for trial until 2021. This, he says, is due to the "general complexity of the case." The publication reports that the amount of "substantial evidence" may have also played a part in the request, as the defense team has said the government is still producing a "large volume of outstanding discovery."
Additionally, lawyers have also asked that defendants who have been accused of similar conduct be grouped together. The alleged reason behind the desired grouping is to "ensure that both the Defendants will receive fair trials and that those trials will proceed efficiently," states court documents.
Whether her trial starts in 2020 or 2021, it has been said that the "When Calls the Heart" actress has already started thinking about her "inevitable" future. Not only has she reportedly been taking "grueling" steps behind the scenes, but it has also been said that she has started working to avoid a specific "challenge" down the road.
At this time, the prosecution allegedly possesses an email that Giannulli sent to his accountant, which shows his guilt. However, reports have surfaced that Loughlin believes she has a "secret weapon" to prove her innocence and has already started taking various steps in order to prevent prosecutors from securing a conviction.
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