<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/full-house-star-lori-loughlin-lands-another-movie-role-following-prison-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Loughlin&#8217;s</a> post-prison comeback appears to be official after she appeared in a new Christmas movie on the Great American Family network on Sunday after serving time for her part in the college admissions scheme in 2020.
The 59-year-old actress&#8217; &#8220;A Christmas Blessing&#8221; aired over the weekend and seemed to get a warm reception from GAF fans, many of whom took to social media to praise the movie and gush about the star&#8217;s role in the film on the faith-based network.
&#8220;We&#8217;re thrilled to present stars Lori Loughlin, MrJamesTupper, and Jesse_Hutch in #AChristmasBlessing, STARTING NOW, on #GreatAmericanFamily! #WelcomeHome #GreatAmericanChristmas [GAfamilyTV],&#8221; President and CEO Bill Abbott of Great American Media wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/billabbottHC/status/1723868279566184746" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We&#8217;re thrilled to present stars Lori Loughlin, <a href="https://twitter.com/MrJamesTupper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MrJamesTupper</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/Jesse_Hutch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jesse_Hutch</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AChristmasBlessing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AChristmasBlessing</a>, STARTING NOW, on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanFamily</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeHome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeHome</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanChristmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanChristmas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GAfamilyTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GAfamilyTV</a> 🎄 <a href="https://t.co/7XuY8aMyv6">pic.twitter.com/7XuY8aMyv6</a>
— Bill Abbott (@billabbottHC) <a href="https://twitter.com/billabbottHC/status/1723868279566184746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
&#8220;So great to see Lori again. Truly looking forward to this movie more than any other. Super cast!&#8221; one person wrote in response to Abbott&#8217;s post.
Another added, &#8220;Christmas movies on [GAfamilyTV] are seriously a major cut above this year! Loving every minute! #AChristmasBlessing #LoriLoughlin [MrJamesTupper] [Jesse_Hutch] #GreatAmericanFamily #GreatAmericanChristmas #WelcomeHome.&#8221;
While another wrote, &#8220;GAC brought the best thespians from Hallmark. Anyone looking for a good Christmas movie, who doesn&#8217;t have a grudge against Lori Loughlin, should search for &#8216;A Christmas Blessing.&#8217; On my system it repeats in HD 11/14 &amp; 15 &amp; in SD 11/17 &amp; 18.&#8221;
One person even <a href="https://twitter.com/WeNeedFamilyTV/status/1723887822912831488" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that on Sunday that the former &#8220;Full House&#8221; star started trending on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tonight is making me so happy! Awesome movie and Lori is trending! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AChristmasBlessing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AChristmasBlessing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoriLoughlin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoriLoughlin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MrJamesTupper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MrJamesTupper</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Jesse_Hutch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jesse_Hutch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanChristmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanChristmas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeHome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeHome</a> <a href="https://t.co/tzhfWoVBaw">pic.twitter.com/tzhfWoVBaw</a>
— WeNeedFamilyTV (@WeNeedFamilyTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeNeedFamilyTV/status/1723887822912831488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
&#8220;Tonight is making me so happy! Awesome movie and Lori is trending!&#8221; the person wrote. #AChristmasBlessing #LoriLoughlin [MrJamesTupper] [Jesse_Hutch] #GreatAmericanFamily #GreatAmericanChristmas #WelcomeHome.&#8221;
Earlier this year, GAF announced the former &#8220;Fuller House&#8221; actress would be back on the small screen in an original Christmas movie — just three years after she pled guilty for her part in the Varsity Blues college admission scandal along with her husband Mossimo Giannulli.
In May of 2020, Loughlin and Giannulli pled guilty to a variety of conspiracy charges after paying $500,000 to get their two daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California as phony rowing recruits.
The &#8220;Every Christmas Has A Story&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">star</a> served two months in prison, while her husband got five months behind bars. Loughlin was released in December 2020, but Giannulli remained behind bars. Giannulli was then released early on April 2, 2021, and served the remainder of his sentence at home.
In January, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actress-lori-loughlin-mounts-comeback-with-rom-com-movie-premiere-following-prison-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Loughlin</a> appeared in her first TV movie role after serving time behind bars in the GAF original film &#8220;Fall Into Winter.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal">Lori Loughlin Sentenced To Two Months In Prison For College Admissions Scandal</a>

Lori Loughlin-2

Lori Loughlin’s Post-Prison Comeback Solidified In New Christmas Movie

Lori Loughlin's Post-Prison Comeback Solidified In New Christmas Movie

Celebrities

Christmas

Entertainment

Full House

Lori Loughlin

In his new memoir &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/If-You-Would-Have-Told/dp/1250890977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">If You Would&#8217;ve Told Me</a>,&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/john-stamos-recalls-moment-he-realized-he-had-to-sober-up-and-kick-alcohol-addiction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Stamos</a> revealed a series of bizarre text messages and conversations he had with actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/full-house-star-lori-loughlin-lands-another-movie-role-following-prison-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Loughlin</a> when the college admission scandal broke in 2019.
In the 60-year-old actor&#8217;s new book — out on Tuesday — the &#8220;Full House&#8221; star detailed the strange chats he had with his former co-star right before she was named in the &#8220;Varsity Blues&#8221; college admission scandal along with her husband Mossimo Giannulli, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/24/entertainment/john-stamos-lori-loughlin-text-exchange-on-college-scandal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a> reported. In May of 2020, Loughlin and her husband plead guilty to a variety of conspiracy charges after paying $500,000 to get their two daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California as phony rowing recruits.
&#8220;In March 2019, I get a strange text around 5:30 am from my good friend Roger Lodge,&#8221; Stamos wrote. &#8220;He asks if Lori is okay. I hit him back, &#8216;Why, what&#8217;s up?&#8217; &#8221;
&#8220;Something about a college scandal,&#8221; he wrote back.
&#8220;I started Googling, but there was very little I could find,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I knew she was working in Canada, so I called to check on her.&#8221;
He said Loughlin answered the phone pretty nonchalantly and he recalled her being unfazed about the phone possibly being bugged.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
John Stamos called Lori Loughlin and told her to turn on the news when the college admissions scandal broke: “She asks, ‘What channel?’ I text back in all caps: ’EVERY CHANNEL!’”
She did warn him, “Oh, they may be bugging my phone.” <a href="https://t.co/6XLwMNQOh5">https://t.co/6XLwMNQOh5</a> <a href="https://t.co/GYWNBnbhzp">pic.twitter.com/GYWNBnbhzp</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1716820589879627844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
Stamos recalled asking Loughlin about a series of clicks he heard while they were talking on the phone, and her response was shockingly low-key: &#8220;&#8216;Oh that, yeah, I&#8217;m not sure.&#8217; She answers so casually as if I just asked her if [fictional twins on &#8216;Full House]&#8217; Nicky and Alex finished all their vegetables.&#8221;
&#8220;&#8216;I have seen some emails lately from lawyers to Moss, but I stay out of it.&#8217; Before I can process her response, I notice an odd clicking sound on the phone line,&#8221; he added. &#8220;When I asked her about it, she again adopts her laissez-faire tone, &#8216;Oh, they may be bugging my phone.'&#8221;
After they got off the phone, the &#8220;Fuller House&#8221; star saw that the college admission scandal was making headlines and immediately texted her back. In the book, he then shared how that text thread went.
&#8220;I immediately text Lori, &#8216;Are you watching the news?'&#8221; the actor wrote. &#8220;An FBI agent is announcing the largest college admissions scandal ever handled by the Department of Justice, involving bribes to prestigious colleges for falsified student acceptances. She asks, &#8216;What channel?&#8217; I text back in all caps: &#8216;EVERY CHANNEL!'&#8221;
After the actress plead guilty, the &#8220;Every Christmas Has A Story&#8221; star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actress-lori-loughlin-mounts-comeback-with-rom-com-movie-premiere-following-prison-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">served</a> two months in prison, while her husband got five-months behind bars. Loughlin was released in December 2020, while Giannulli remained behind bars. Giannulli was then released early on April 2, 2021 and served the remainder of his sentence at home.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal">Lori Loughlin Sentenced To Two Months In Prison For College Admissions Scandal</a>

Lori Loughlin, John Stamos

John Stamos Reveals Bizarre Text Exchange With Lori Loughlin When College Admission Scandal Broke

John Stamos

Former &#8220;Full House&#8221; star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lori-loughlin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lori Loughlin&#8217;s</a> comeback continues, with the actress recently landing another movie role after serving prison time for her part in the college admissions scheme.
The 58-year-old actress will appear later this year in an original Christmas movie on the Great American Family network (GAF), <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/02/lori-loughlin-books-holiday-movie-great-american-family-2023-1235251762/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deadline</a> reported.
Loughlin recently appeared in her first TV movie role since spending time behind bars in the GAF original film &#8220;Fall Into Winter,” which debuted on the network in January, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actress-lori-loughlin-mounts-comeback-with-rom-com-movie-premiere-following-prison-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
EXCLUSIVE: Great American Family has no intention of letting go of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoriLoughlin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoriLoughlin</a>; the channel just booked the former &#39;Full House&#39; star in a new Christmas movie for later this year <a href="https://t.co/p5gWZEZN4Q">https://t.co/p5gWZEZN4Q</a> <a href="https://t.co/kqqPIZi3Li">pic.twitter.com/kqqPIZi3Li</a>
&mdash; Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1623002907963535370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The movie marked the former &#8220;Fuller House&#8221; star&#8217;s first role in a romantic comedy movie since she served two months behind bars for her involvement in the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-uncover-massive-college-entrance-exam-cheating-plot-n982136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Varsity Blues college admissions</a> scandal.
In May 2020, she and husband fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty to a variety of conspiracy charges after paying $500,000 to get their two daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California as phony rowing recruits.
The &#8220;Every Christmas Has A Story&#8221; star spent two months in prison, while her husband got five months behind bars. Loughlin was released in December, while Giannulli remained behind bars. Giannulli was then released early on April 2, 2021, and served the remainder of his sentence at home, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2021/04/03/mossimo-giannulli-released-prison-serving-rest-time-home/7075614002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USA Today</a> noted.
In December 2021, the &#8220;When Calls The Heart&#8221; star <a href="https://deadline.com/2021/09/lori-loughlin-reprise-abigail-stanton-when-calls-the-heart-season-2-when-hope-calls-gac-family-return-to-acting-college-admissions-scandal-1234845738/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> when news surfaced that she would be reprising her role as Abigail Stanton in a spinoff of the her hit show, called &#8220;When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas.&#8221; She appeared in the two-part season 2 premiere of the series.
Executive producer Brian Bird said Loughlin joining GAF was all about &#8220;second chances,&#8221; as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-full-house-to-the-big-house-lori-loughlins-quest-for-redemption" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;Taking this photo lifted my heart in so many ways,&#8221; Bird shared at the time. &#8220;Offering second chances in this messed up world are [sic] just a better way to live.&#8221;
&#8220;Love seeing Lori Loughlin back on screen as Abigail Stanton … this time in Brookfield and #WhenHopeCalls,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Loughlin getting hired at [GAF] Family is a curious turn of events that could mean the renaissance of her career.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actress-lori-loughlin-mounts-comeback-with-rom-com-movie-premiere-following-prison-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Actress Lori Loughlin Mounts Comeback With Rom-Com Movie Premiere Following Prison Time</a>

‘Full House’ Star Lori Loughlin Lands Another Movie Role Following Prison Time

U.S.

&#8220;Full House&#8221; star Lori Loughlin mounts comeback ahead of the premiere of her upcoming romantic comedy movie on the Great American Family network after she served prison time for the college admission scheme.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lori-loughlin">58-year-old</a> actress joins actor James Tupper in the GAF original movie &#8220;Fall Into Winter&#8221; when it debuts on the network on Jan. 28, <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/01/great-american-family-lori-loughlin-rom-com-fall-into-winter-1235237940/">Deadline magazine</a> reported.
The movie marks the former &#8220;Fuller House&#8221; star&#8217;s first role in a rom-com movie since she served two months behind bars for her involvement in the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-uncover-massive-college-entrance-exam-cheating-plot-n982136">Varsity Blues college admissions scandal</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Lori Loughlin &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/MrJamesTupper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MrJamesTupper</a> star in our third <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanWinter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanWinter</a> movie, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FallIntoWinter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FallIntoWinter</a>! Premiering Saturday, January 28 at 8/7c, on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatAmericanFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreatAmericanFamily</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeHome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeHome</a> ❄️ <a href="https://t.co/bxceBLHgfS">pic.twitter.com/bxceBLHgfS</a>
&mdash; Great American Family (@GAfamilyTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/GAfamilyTV/status/1616479469228654599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In May 2020, she and husband fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, plead guilty to a variety of conspiracy charges after paying $500,000 to get their two daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, into the University of Southern California as phony rowing recruits.
The &#8220;Every Christmas Has A Story&#8221; star later served two months in prison, while her husband got five-months behind bars. Loughlin was released in December, while Giannulli remained behind bars. Giannulli was then released early on April 2, 2021 and served the remainder of his sentence at home, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2021/04/03/mossimo-giannulli-released-prison-serving-rest-time-home/7075614002/">USA Today</a> noted.
In December 2021, the &#8220;When Calls The Heart&#8221; star <a href="https://deadline.com/2021/09/lori-loughlin-reprise-abigail-stanton-when-calls-the-heart-season-2-when-hope-calls-gac-family-return-to-acting-college-admissions-scandal-1234845738/">made headlines</a> when news surfaced that she would be reprising her role as Abigail Stanton in a spinoff of the her hit show in one called &#8220;When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas.&#8221; She appeared in a two-part Season 2 premiere of the series.
Executive producer of &#8220;When Hope Calls&#8221; Brian Bird said Loughlin joining GAC Family (renamed GAF) was all about &#8220;second chances,&#8221; as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-full-house-to-the-big-house-lori-loughlins-quest-for-redemption">reported</a>.
&#8220;Taking this photo lifted my heart in so many ways,&#8221; Bird shared. &#8220;Offering second chances in this messed up world are [sic] just a better way to live.&#8221;
&#8220;Love seeing Lori Loughlin back on screen as Abigail Stanton … this time in Brookfield and #WhenHopeCalls,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Loughlin getting hired at GAC Family is a curious turn of events that could mean the renaissance of her career.&#8221;
&#8220;Fall Into Winter&#8221; is Loughlin&#8217;s first TV movie since spending time behind bars. It debuts on the network on Saturday Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal">Lori Loughlin Sentenced To Two Months In Prison For College Admissions Scandal</a>

Actress Lori Loughlin Mounts Comeback With Rom-Com Movie Premiere Following Prison Time

Hallmark

Prison

Actress Lori Loughlin recently made her return to television after leaving in disgrace. 
While the 57-year-old star was once known for playing Aunt Becky on “Full House,” her reputation was seriously damaged following a college admissions scandal with her daughters. Loughlin maintained her innocence for months before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal">pleading guilty and serving two months</a> behind bars.
Loughlin began her career as a young girl, beginning with scoring a modeling contract at the age of 11. “My mom had a friend that was going into Manhattan to meet with an agency for modeling,” she said of the experience during a 2004 <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61274-2004Jun22.html">interview</a> with The Washington Post. “My mom reluctantly let me go, but I don’t think she ever thought anything would come of it. And I went in and they handed me a contract and said, ‘We’ll take you.’”
When she was 15, the actress made her acting debut on the ABC soap opera “The Edge of Night.” Five years later, Loughlin had officially made it in Hollywood after landing the role of a lifetime portraying Aunt Becky in “Full House,” as detailed by <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/lori-loughlin-through-the-years-from-full-house-to-college-scandal/amp/">US Weekly</a>. 
The actress starred alongside Bob Saget, John Stamos, Dave Coulier, Jodie Sweeten, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Candace Cameron Bure for seven seasons of the show from 1988 until 1995. “Full House” became a national sensation, and Loughlin played a big part in the show’s success. It was such a hit that more than two decades later, most of the cast reunited for the reboot series, “Fuller House,” in 2016.
If “Full House” made Loughlin famous, then her criminal actions made her notorious. In 2019, the actress and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-uncover-massive-college-entrance-exam-cheating-plot-n982136">among 50 people</a> charged by the FBI and U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office for fraud and bribery-related offenses as part of a college entrance exam cheating scandal.
She wasn’t the only celebrity involved in the scandal. Dozens of prominent people including “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman and more than <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3001418/fbi-charges-rich-parents-including-tv-stars">30 other wealthy parents</a> were accused of paying bribes to get their children into prestigious colleges.
According to law enforcement, Loughlin and her husband <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/lori-loughlin-pays-500k-college-tuition-2-students-after-admissions-n1282644">paid $500,000</a> to Rick Singer and the Key Worldwide Foundation, pretending it was a donation, to ensure the University of Southern California would think their two daughters, Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, were part of the rowing team &#8211; therefore gaining their daughters’ admissions to the school. The girls received scholarships despite not participating in the sport. 
Loughlin and Giannulli were <a href="https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/lori-loughlin-bribery-charge-1203379393/">charged</a> with fraud, money laundering, and bribery. The couple maintained their innocence vehemently before eventually <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-pleads-guilty-could-serve-two-months-in-jail">accepting a plea deal</a> in May 2020. They both were sentenced with community service, brief stints in jail, and supervised release.
The actress <a href="https://www.ktvu.com/news/lori-loughlin-released-from-dublin-prison-after-serving-sentence-for-role-in-college-admissions-scandal">spent two months</a> in federal detention in Dublin, California that year. She was released in December. However, even after her time served, Loughlin caught heat from critics who pointed out that she kept popping up at fancy resorts, like the Madison Club in California, and went on a jaunt to Cabo San Lucas with the permission of her probation officer, per <a href="https://pagesix.com/2021/06/18/lori-loughlin-and-mossimo-giannulli-hit-cabo-san-lucas-in-mexico/">Page Six</a>. Critics have stated that her lavish lifestyle makes her look less than contrite.
The “When Calls the Heart” alum quietly returned to television two years after serving time. Per <a href="https://deadline.com/2021/09/lori-loughlin-reprise-abigail-stanton-when-calls-the-heart-season-2-when-hope-calls-gac-family-return-to-acting-college-admissions-scandal-1234845738/">Deadline</a>, Loughlin reprised her role as Abigail Stanton in the “When Calls the Heart” spinoff “When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas.” 
“When Hope Calls” executive producer Brian Bird said Loughlin joining GAC Family was all about second chances.
“Taking this photo lifted my heart in so many ways. Offering second chances in this messed up world are [sic] just a better way to live. Love seeing Lori Loughlin back on screen as Abigail Stanton… this time in Brookfield and #WhenHopeCalls,” he <a href="https://culturess.com/2021/12/02/when-calls-the-heart-creator-lori-loughlin/">shared</a> ahead of the December premiere. Loughlin getting hired at GAC Family is a curious turn of events that could mean the renaissance of her career. 
GAC Family CEO Bill Abbott is a former Hallmark executive who has been poaching top stars from his old job to create a family-friendly alternative to Hallmark, which has been debuting more progressive themes lately. 
“At GAC, we’re focused on creating strong brands, compelling programming and a consistent family friendly viewing experience across multiple genres,” Abbott said in a <a href="https://www.nexttv.com/news/former-hallmark-head-bill-abbott-renames-cable-networks-to-create-family-friendly-gac-brand">statement</a> when the network launched. “The launch of GAC Family and GAC Living is the next phase in our strategy to bolster the company’s portfolio with networks that deliver on the promise of safe and entertaining storytelling that enriches lives.”
Besides Loughlin, one of the most buzzed-about acquisitions for GAC is fellow “Full House” alum Candace Cameron Bure, who also became a mainstay on the Hallmark Channel.
It’s not just GAC discussing second chances. Loughlin’s daughter Olivia Jade also pleaded for forgiveness and second chances during a conversation with Jada Pinkett Smith on Red Table Talk in 2020, per BBC News. 
“When all this first happened and it became public I remember thinking, how are people mad about this? It sounds so silly, but in the bubble that I grew up in, a lot of kids’ parents were donating to schools,” she <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55243617">said</a> at the time. “It’s not fair and it’s not right but it was happening.” 
“We messed up. I just want a second chance to be like, ‘I recognize I messed up.’ And for so long I wasn’t able to talk about this because of the legalities behind it,” she continued. 
“What’s so important to me is to learn from the mistake, not to be shamed and punished and never given a second chance.”
Loughlin also made a public apology in August ahead of her sentencing.
“I made an awful decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process,” she <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-apologized-college-admissions-sentencing">said</a> at the time, according to Fox News. 
“In doing so, I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass,” she continued. “I thought I was acting out of love for my children, but in reality it only undermined and diminished my daughters’ abilities and accomplishments.”
“That realization weighs heavily on me and while I wish I could go back and do things differently, I can only take responsibility and move forward. I have great faith in God and I believe in redemption,” Loughlin concluded. “I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good and give back for the rest of my life.”
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Harding – Hallmark’s Lori Laughlin- Her Return to Hollywood After Serving Jail Time

From ‘Full House’ To The Big House: Lori Loughlin’s Quest For Redemption

Readers Pass

&#8220;Full House&#8221; actress Lori Loughlin has been released from prison after serving two months for her participation in the college admissions scandal, a.k.a. &#8220;Operation Varsity Blues.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-released-prison-college-admissions-scandal">Fox News</a>, a spokesperson from the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Dublin, California, confirmed Loughlin&#8217;s release on Monday. She was originally given a release date of December 27, which, due to a U.S. Department of Justice stipulation that inmates who are scheduled to be released on a weekend instead be released just before the Christmas holiday. Loughlin, however, was not released in time to celebrate Christmas with her family and was instead scheduled for release Monday.
Loughlin was housed in the low-security federal prison that held actress Felicity Huffman for similar crimes.
Earlier this year, Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Gianulli, entered not guilty pleas after being charged with mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the infamous college bribery scam. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston charged them with “conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to use bribery to cheat on college entrance exams and to facilitate their children’s admission to selective colleges and universities as purported athletic recruits.” Loughlin and Giannulli worked in concert with William “Rick” Singer to bribe college officials and rig the entrance exams so that their daughters could be accepted into elite universities.
After fighting and maintaining their innocence for close to a year, Loughlin and her husband <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal">accepted a plea deal</a> requiring her to pay $150,000 and serve two months in prison. Giannulli was fined $250,000 and sentenced to five months in prison. The former &#8220;Full House&#8221; actress will now undergo a two-year supervised release and perform 100 hours of community service.
A source close to Loughlin confirmed that she had a &#8220;tearful&#8221; reunion with her two daughters upon release. From <a href="https://people.com/tv/lori-loughlin-has-tearful-reunion-with-daughters-after-prison-release/">PEOPLE</a>:
<div class="paragraph">
<blockquote>“It’s the end of a very long ordeal,&#8221; says the source.</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote>
<div class="paragraph">
Having completed her prison sentence for her involvement in the nationwide college admissions scandal, a second insider says that Loughlin, 56, &#8220;seems beyond relieved that she can put her prison sentence behind her.&#8221;
</div>
<div class="paragraph">
&#8220;It&#8217;s the most stressful thing she has ever dealt with. She plans on spending New Year&#8217;s with Olivia and Bella,&#8221; says the insider.
</div>
<div class="paragraph">
Now reunited with their children, Loughlin is looking forward to having Mossimo, 57, home once his prison sentence concludes.
</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="paragraph">
<blockquote>&#8220;She is still worried about Mossimo though, and can&#8217;t wait to have him home,&#8221; the insider adds.</blockquote>
</div>
Loughlin&#8217;s daughter, Olivia Jade, recently appeared on &#8220;Red Table Talk&#8221; where she said that what her parents did was wrong and made no excuses for them.
“I think that what hasn’t been super public is that there is no justifying or excusing what happened because what happened was wrong,” Olivia said. &#8220;And I think every single person in my family can be like, ‘That was messed up. That was a big mistake.’ But I think what’s so important to me is to learn from the mistake, not to now be shamed and punished and never given a second chance because I’m 21. I feel like I deserve a second chance to redeem myself, to show I’ve grown.”
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlins-daughter-opens-up-my-privilege-blinded-me">Lori Loughlin’s Daughter Opens Up: My ‘Privilege’ Blinded Me</a>

Celebrities Visit Build – February 15, 2018

Lori Loughlin Released After Serving 2 Months In Prison

Crime

Education

Now that Lori Loughlin is serving out her sentence for her participation in the infamous college admissions scandal, her daughter, Olivia Jade Giannulli, has publicly opened up about her experience during the whole ordeal.
Appearing on &#8220;Red Table Talk&#8221; hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Olivia Jade said that she now wants to seek redemption after coming to fully understand the hurt her parents&#8217; actions caused.
&#8220;It&#8217;s been hard, I think, for anybody,&#8221; she said, as <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/olivia-jade-giannulli-speaks-out-following-admissions-scandal-what-happened-was-wrong">reported</a> by The Hollywood Reporter (THR). &#8220;No matter what the situation is, you don&#8217;t want to see your parents go to prison. But I think it&#8217;s necessary for us to move on and move forward.&#8221;
Earlier this year, Loughlin and her husband entered not guilty pleas after being charged with mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the infamous college bribery scam. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston charged them with “conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to use bribery to cheat on college entrance exams and to facilitate their children’s admission to selective colleges and universities as purported athletic recruits.” Loughlin and Giannulli worked in concert with William “Rick” Singer to bribe college officials and rig the entrance exams so that their daughters could be accepted into elite universities.
After fighting and maintaining her innocence for close to a year, Loughlin and her husband <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-sentenced-to-two-months-in-prison-for-college-admissions-scandal">accepted a plea deal</a> requiring her to pay $150,000 and serve two months in prison. Giannulli was fined $250,000 and sentenced to five months in prison.
&#8220;I think that what hasn&#8217;t been super public is that there is no justifying or excusing what happened because what happened was wrong,&#8221; Olivia said on &#8220;Red Table Talk.&#8221; And I think every single person in my family can be like, &#8216;That was messed up. That was a big mistake.&#8217; But I think what&#8217;s so important to me is to learn from the mistake, not to now be shamed and punished and never given a second chance because I&#8217;m 21. I feel like I deserve a second chance to redeem myself, to show I&#8217;ve grown.&#8221;
The conversation took a sharper turn when Olivia Jade explained that her white privilege shielded her from understanding the weight of her situation.
&#8220;I understand that just based on my skin color I already had my foot in the door and I was already ahead of everybody else. Right. I think that 100%. I can recognize that going forward,&#8221; she said.
Olivia Jade then asserted that she will use her privilege for good going forward.
&#8220;I just want to make it very clear I&#8217;m very aware there are big problems going on in the world that are outside my bubble,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But how much better of a person would you be if you used your blessings to help somebody else?&#8221;
As noted THR, co-host Adrienne Banfield Norris was a bit uneasy about Olivia Jade joining the show.
&#8220;I just found it really ironic that she chose three Black women to reach out to for her redemption story. I feel like, here we are, white women coming to Black women for support when we don’t get the same from them,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Her being here is the epitome of white privilege to me. It’s not our responsibility to raise her consciousness.&#8221;

Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s “An Unforgettable Evening”

Lori Loughlin’s Daughter Opens Up: My ‘Privilege’ Blinded Me

College

White Privilege

After a year-long legal battle, actress Lori Loughlin has been sentenced to two months in prison for her role in the infamous college admissions scandal. Her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, will serve five months in prison.
The former &#8220;Full House&#8221; actress received her sentence on Friday in line with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-pleads-guilty-could-serve-two-months-in-jail">the plea deal</a> she and her legal team worked out back in May.
&#8220;In their <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-mossimo-giannulli-officially-plead-guilty-in-college-admissions-scandal-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">plea agreement</a>, Loughlin, 56, agreed to serve two months and pay a $150,000 fine along with two years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. Giannulli, meanwhile, would serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine with two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service,&#8221; reported <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-mossimo-giannulli-sentenced-college-admissions-scandal">Fox News.</a>
Loughlin at first appeared calm and collected when her attorney spoke; she, however, became emotional when she apologized to the judge.
&#8220;I made an awful decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college admissions process, and in doing so I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be swayed from my moral compass,” she said. “I have great faith in God, and I believe in redemption, and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and use this experience as a catalyst to do good.”
Loughlin&#8217;s attorney, BJ Trach, noted that &#8220;Lori lost the acting career she spent 40 years building&#8221; and highlighted how her &#8220;family lived paycheck-to-paycheck&#8221; while she was growing up.
&#8220;She didn’t attend college because her family couldn’t afford it,&#8221; said Trach.
Last year, Loughlin and her husband entered a not guilty plea after being charged with mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the infamous college bribery scam. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston charged them with “conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to use bribery to cheat on college entrance exams and to facilitate their children’s admission to selective colleges and universities as purported athletic recruits.”
Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly worked in concert with William “Rick” Singer to bribe college officials and rig the entrance exams so that their daughters could be accepted into elite universities. They are now the 23rd and 24th parents to enter a guilty plea for their role in Operation Varsity Blues.
Loughlin’s defense hinged on notes from William “Rick” Singer saying that investigators told him to lie to implicate her and her husband in a criminal act, alleging that the prosecution withheld the evidence for fear it would exonerate them. Their request for the judge to dismiss the case on those grounds was denied.
“In a sprawling, fast-moving prosecution, the failure to produce the notes earlier was simply a mistake,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven E. Frank wrote at the time. “The defendants have suffered no prejudice, and their suggestion that the notes somehow ‘exonerate’ them, or reveal that the evidence against them was fabricated, is demonstrably false.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin O’Connell argued that Loughlin participated in the scandal to get &#8220;what she wanted, no matter how and no matter the cost,&#8221; asserting that prison time was necessary to show that “everyone, no matter your status, is accountable in our justice system.”
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-pleads-guilty-could-serve-two-months-in-jail">Lori Loughlin Pleads Guilty, Could Serve Two Months In Jail</a>

Celebrity Sightings in New York City – August 03, 2

Lori Loughlin Sentenced To Two Months In Prison For College Admissions Scandal

After maintaining her innocence for 16 months, Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, will plead guilty for their role in the infamous college admissions scandal.
&#8220;The Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that the couple will plead guilty at a yet-to-be-determined court date,&#8221; reports <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-to-plead-guilty-in-college-admissions-scandal">Fox News</a>. &#8220;Loughlin will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, while Giannulli will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and to honest services wire and mail fraud.&#8221;
Loughlin could serve up to two months in jail, be forced to pay a $150,000 fine, and up to 100 hours of community service during a two-year supervised release. Her husband could serve up to as many as five months in jail as well as a $250,000 fine and another 250 hours of community service.
Last year, Loughlin and her husband entered a not guilty plea after being charged with mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the infamous college bribery scam. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston charged them with “conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to use bribery to cheat on college entrance exams and to facilitate their children’s admission to selective colleges and universities as purported athletic recruits.”
Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly worked in concert with William “Rick” Singer to bribe college officials and rig the entrance exams so that their daughters could be accepted into elite universities. They are now the 23rd and 24th parents to enter a guilty plea for their role in Operation Varsity Blues.
In a statement, United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling said that Loughlin and Giannulli will serve jail time as a result of their guilty plea.
“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. We will continue to pursue accountability for undermining the integrity of college admissions,” said Lelling.
The plea agreements are not technically final and hinge on a judge accepting the deal as outlined in the agreement, which the Federal judge is expected to do.
Loughlin&#8217;s defense hinged on notes from William &#8220;Rick&#8221; Singer saying that investigators told him to lie to implicate her and her husband in a criminal act, alleging that the prosecution withheld the evidence for fear it would exonerate them. Their request for the judge to dismiss the case on those grounds were denied.
“In a sprawling, fast-moving prosecution, the failure to produce the notes earlier was simply a mistake,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven E. Frank wrote at the time. “The defendants have suffered no prejudice, and their suggestion that the notes somehow ‘exonerate’ them, or reveal that the evidence against them was fabricated, is demonstrably false.”
Prior to her plea deal, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lori-loughlin-claims-prosecutors-federal-government-are-bullying-her-for-not-accepting-plea-deal">sources close to Loughlin</a> said she was afraid that federal prosecutors were bullying her for pleading not guilty, worried that they might make an example out of her.
“[She] won’t be bullied or intimidated by the federal government and she believes the jury will recognize it as well,” the source said.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Celebrities Visit Hallmark’s “Home & Family”

Lori Loughlin Pleads Guilty, Could Serve Two Months In Jail

Actress Lori Loughlin has claimed that both prosecutors and the federal government are bullying her with public intimidation tactics for not accepting a plea deal.
Last year, Loughlin and her husband entered a not guilty plea after being charged with mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the infamous college bribery scam. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston charged them with “conspiring to commit fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to use bribery to cheat on college entrance exams and to facilitate their children’s admission to selective colleges and universities as purported athletic recruits.”
Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly worked in concert with William “Rick” Singer to bribe college officials and rig the entrance exams so that their daughters could be accepted into elite universities.
As reported by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-outraged-olivia-jade-embarrassed-rowing-pics">Fox News</a>, the prosecution released private photos last week that allegedly showed Loughlin&#8217;s daughters &#8220;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-daughters-rowing-photos-released-college-admissions-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">posing as rowers&#8221;</a> so that they could gain admission to the University of Southern California. Speaking to <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/lori-loughlin-outraged-by-prosecutors-releasing-kids-rowing-photos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Us Weekly</a>, a source close to Loughlin claimed that the photos were released as a tool of intimidation.
“The pictures are obviously extremely inflammatory and controversial, meant to intimidate Lori because she has refused to take a plea deal,” the source said. “The photos were never submitted to USC as part of the application process. Lori’s lawyers will be responding to the photos of the girls on the rowing machine in a legal filing.”
&#8220;[She] won’t be bullied or intimidated by the federal government and she believes the jury will recognize it as well,&#8221; the source added.
Speaking to <a href="https://people.com/tv/lori-loughlin-terrified-about-new-charges-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">People </a> in October of last year, a source close to Loughlin said that the actress feared her refusal to take a plea deal will prompt prosecutors to make an example out of her.
“They feel like this is David versus Goliath,” the source said at the time. “How do you go up against the federal government, when the government has decided to make an example out of you? How can you possibly move forward from this? This stress is about to break them. She is angry, she is sad, but most of all, she is terrified. It just gets worse and worse for her. And you have to remember: Nothing new has happened. They could have charged her with all of this last spring. But they waited. She feels like she is a scapegoat.”
Writing over at <a href="https://reason.com/2019/10/24/federal-prosecutors-are-punishing-actor-lori-loughlin-for-exercising-her-right-to-defend-herself/">Reason</a>, Scott Shackford argued that federal prosecutors were unfairly seeking to &#8220;punish&#8221; Loughlin for exercising her constitutional right to defend herself in a fair trial, something the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) has referred to as the &#8220;trial penalty.&#8221;
&#8220;A full 97 percent of all criminal cases are resolved with plea deals, according to the NACDL,&#8221; wrote Shackford. &#8220;The NACDL report warns that Americans are essentially losing their Sixth Amendment right to a trial because of the massive charging disparity between the offenses prosecutors offer in a plea deal and the offenses they take to trial. The report notes that &#8216;the mere decision to charge triggers a domino effect making a guilty plea the only rational choice in most cases. And as trials and hearings decline, so too does government accountability. Government mistakes and misconduct are rarely uncovered, or are simply resolved in a more favorable plea bargain.'&#8221;

Lori Loughlin Claims Prosecutors, Federal Government Are Bullying Her For Not Accepting Plea Deal

An attorney representing actress Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli is asking a judge to delay his clients’ trials, citing “exonerating” evidence that has been recently revealed.
Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-mossimo-giannulli-lawyer-fbi-college-admissions-scandal-lie">reported</a> that Sean M. Berkowitz, who is representing the couple, wrote in court documents that personal notes written by William “Rick” Singer – the man behind the entire college admissions scam – was allegedly told to lie by the FBI. The notes, according to Berkowitz, suggest the FBI told Singer to say he made Loughlin and others who participated in the scam that the money they were providing to him was a bribe, not a donation to the school.
“Singer’s notes indicate that FBI agents yelled at him and instructed him to lie by saying that he told his clients who participated in the alleged ‘side door’ scheme that their payments were bribes, rather than legitimate donations that went to the schools,” Berkowitz argued in court documents. “They further note the Government’s desire to ‘nail’ one of the defendants ‘at all costs.’”
Singer’s notes said FBI investigators asked him to “bend the truth” when it came to the scandal.
“Loud and abrasive call with agents,” the notes said, as reported by Fox. “They continue to ask me to tell a fib and not restate what I told my clients as to where their money was going &#8212; to the program not the coach and that it was a donation and they want it to be a payment.”
Berkowitz also took prosecutors to task for withholding the evidence, which he says forced Loughlin and Giannulli to seek court remedies to obtain the evidence.
“The supplemental discovery produced today demonstrates that the Government was simply not being truthful with Defendants or the Court in the above filings, given that as early as October 2, 2018, Singer told agents working on the case the exact information we have been seeking in discovery, and those agents attempted to bully him into lying and saying something different,” Berkowitz argued. “This belated discovery, which should have been produced no later than 30 days after indictment, is devastating to the Government’s case and demonstrates that the Government has been improperly withholding core exculpatory information, employing a &#8216;win at all costs&#8217; effort rather than following their obligation to do justice.”
“The Government is trying to benefit from withholding information in violation of its obligations and the Defendants’ constitutional rights, but then force trial as quickly as it can. The Government should not be rewarded, nor the Defendants punished, for this kind of egregious lack of candor and violation of its obligations,” he concluded.
As Fox reported, Loughlin and Giannulli plead not guilty to bribery charges that accused the couple of arranging a $500,000 bribe to Singer to get their daughters not only into the University of Southern California (USC) but also on the crew team even though they had never participated in the sport.
“The charge of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The couple was <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-mossimo-giannulli-indicted-on-fraud-and-money-laundering-charges-in-college-admissions-scandal">previously hit with charges</a> of money laundering and conspiracy that could land them behind bars for <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lori-loughlin-mossimo-giannulli-could-face-even-more-jail-time-following-money-laundering-indictment-experts-say">40 years if convicted on all of them</a>,” Fox reported.

Attorney For Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli Argues FBI Instructed Mastermind Behind College Admissions Scandal To Lie

After the “Varsity Blues” college admissions scandal last year, which implicated dozens of people including actress Lori Loughlin, universities began to receive increased scrutiny for the admissions practices that allowed wealthy, well-connected parents to bribe officials at top-tier universities across the country. 
In response to the scandal, the University of California, the elite public university system that serves over 200,000 undergraduate students and includes UC Berkeley and UCLA, announced that it would conduct an audit to assess its “controls over athletic admissions,” as well as controls over the entire admissions process. 
But in the audit, which was released last week, the UC system revealed that it was unable to determine how many students were actually admitted to campuses under “special talent” considerations — the criteria that was allegedly used by a former UCLA <a href="https://dailybruin.com/2019/03/12/mens-soccer-coach-jorge-salcedo-charged-in-college-admissions-bribery-scheme/">soccer coach</a> to recommend a student for acceptance in exchange for bribes. 
According to <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/default/files/second-audit-report.pdf">the audit</a>, none of the nine universities had any sort of organized central system for tracking admitted special talent recruits, which include student athletes, musicians, and students of specialty academic programs. Furthermore, the report reveals the UC system doesn’t even have a set definition for what qualifies a prospective student for “Special Talent Admissions.”
The auditing office also observed that during sample testing, the universities had a difficult time providing documents to substantiate the “special talent” for which individual students were admitted. The report notes that one campus told the investigators they were documenting the approvals through email.
As a result of the poor record-keeping practices, and the inability of the auditing office to access even the most “basic data,” the UC system determined that it doesn’t know enough about “special talent” students in order to determine who was admitted under the classification. 
“The campuses therefore are not able to identify the full population of Special Talent Admissions, nor are they able to readily access basic data on these admissions. This condition makes it very difficult for the University to accurately report to stakeholders the number and composition of Special Talent Admissions, and made it infeasible for us to conduct this analysis as part of this audit,” reports the audit office. 
“All campuses that had existing approval requirements for special talent recommendations identified issues with the adequacy of the approval records &#8212; either that they were never documented, not documented, in a consistent manner, or not retained,” reads the report. 
In addition to the improper record-keeping practices for special talent admissions, the auditing office discovered that “most campuses either did not sufficiently document or did not retain their admission decision approvals” for the general applicant pool “in accordance with the systemwide records retention schedule.”
The retention schedule requires campuses to keep admissions records for five years if the student matriculated to the university, and for one year if the student did not. 
In a <a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/default/files/audit-presidents-letter.pdf">letter</a> to the regents of the university system, UC President Janet Napolitano said the UC system was committed to “equity and fairness,” and would improve the admissions process to reflect the recommendations made by the auditing office. 
“We are steadfastly committed to a fair and transparent admissions process based on student merit and achievement in the context of their educational opportunities and provides a level playing field for every applicant, regardless of income, social status, or influence. Unethical and illegal means to gain admission will not be tolerated, and UC is committed to do everything possible to prevent fraudulent activity,” wrote Napolitano.

Menu