Mossimo Giannulli

College bribery scandal

Giannulli and his wife Lori Loughlin were arrested on March 12, 2019, in connection with their involvement in a nationwide college entrance exam cheating scandal, regarding their two daughters' admission to USC. They were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services fraud and released on $1 million bail each. They were among 50 people charged. The couple were also charged with money-laundering in April 2019.

The couple's indictment alleged they paid a bribe of $500,000, disguised as a donation to the Key Worldwide Foundation, to get their two daughters into the university as rowing crew athletes, though neither had ever trained in the sport. Giannulli and Loughlin initially denied the charges and later pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain.

Prison sentence

On August 21, 2020, Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison and a $250,000 fine, and Loughlin was sentenced to two months and a $150,000 fine. The couple were subsequently expelled from the Bel-Air Country Club. Giannulli and Loughlin were required to report to prison by November 19. On October 30, 2020, Loughlin reported but Giannulli did not. The same day, visitation rights were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Giannulli entered the medium-security federal penitentiary in Lompoc, California, on November 19, 2020, and was scheduled for release on April 17, 2021. Due to COVID-19 he was placed in a medium security isolation rather than a minimum security cell. His son, Gianni, posted on Instagram that the "mental and physical damage being done from such isolation and treatment is wrong." On April 2, 2021, Giannulli was released to home confinement. He was released from home confinement a day early on April 16, 2021, and remained on supervised release until April 2023.