Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli’s motion to have the charges against them in “Operation Varsity Blues” dropped has been denied.
On Friday U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton denied a request from the 55-year-old actress’ attorney to drop the charges, “siding with prosecutors who denied that investigators had fabricated the evidence,” reported USA Today. (RELATED: Felicity Huffman Pleads Guilty In College Admissions Scandal)
Gorton ruled that the FBI agents did not commit misconduct. The defense for the “Full House” actress and her fashion designer husband had previously argued that federal agents had entrapped them, according to Variety. (RELATED: Report: Felicity Huffman Deletes Post About Being A ‘Good Enough’ Mom Following College Admission Scam Arrest)
According to the report:
The attorneys argued that William “Rick” Singer, the admissions consultant at the center of the case, had been coached to “bend the truth” in his recorded conversations with parents.
“After consideration of the extensive briefing, affidavits and other information provided by the government and defendants, the Court is satisfied that the government has not lied to or misled the Court,” the judge ruled.
He explained that agents were just trying “to get Singer to corroborate, not fabricate evidence.”
It comes following reports that Loughlin and her husband were confident the charges against them were going to be dropped, but, if not, they were more ready than ever to fight if the case goes to trial in October.
“Prosecutors are compelled to call Singer to the stand, and if they don’t, Lori’s team will,” an insider shared with US Weekly. “Expect the FBI agents that also worked the case that Rick mentions will also be subjected to increased scrutiny by Lori’s defense team.”
As previously reported, the “When Calls The Heart” star and Giannulli have pleaded not guilty to a variety of charges in the course of the college admissions scandal.
The pair allegedly paid $500,000 to get both of their daughters, Isabella and Olivia Jade, into USC by pretending they were competitive rowing recruits. If found guilty they face a maximum of 45 years behind bars for the alleged crime.