(Mercury News) A prison consultant hired usually by well-heeled defendants to help them navigate the criminal justice system and prepare for life behind bars said he received an unusual phone call July 24. The caller was a woman who said she wanted some advice on charges related to the college admissions bribery scandal.
Larry Levine, founder of Wall Street Prison Consultants, said he believes the woman was actress Lori Loughlin. She and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are accused of paying more than $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Giannulli, admitted to the University of Southern California on the false pretense of being crew team athletes.
In an interview with this news organization, Levine said the woman, who called for advice about “the college scandal,” was “clueless” and did not appear to understand why she was being charged with a federal crime. Levine also said the woman didn’t seem to realize the consequences of not taking a plea deal — that the decision to fight the charges means she and her husband could face serious time in federal prison if convicted.