BOSTON, MA – APRIL 3: Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli, wearing green tie at left, leave the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on April 3, 2019. Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were among 13 parents scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston Wednesday for the first time since they were charged last month in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. They were among 50 people – including coaches, powerful financiers, and entrepreneurs – charged in a brazen plot in which wealthy parents allegedly schemed to bribe sports coaches at top colleges to admit their children. Many of the parents allegedly paid to have someone else take the SAT or ACT exams for their children or correct their answers, guaranteeing them high scores. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

 

Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli have pleaded not guilty to two conspiracy charges in the college bribery scandal that has rocked America.

CNN reports the pair pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering despite prosecutors claiming they paid US $500,000 to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California, including into the college’s rowing team, despite the girls having no experience.

Pleading not guilty is considered a big risk. If the judge finds them guilty, they’ll likely spend longer in jail than if they had pleaded guilty, as ‘not guilty’ indicates they lack contrition for their actions.

If found guilty, Loughlin and Giannulli each face a maximum of 40 years in prison.

It’s a vastly different response compared to Felicity Huffman, who pleaded guilty to paying US $15 000 (AUD $21 000) for her daughter’s college admission exam score to be increased by 400 points.

Huffman also released a statement expressing her regret at her actions.

“I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions,” she said.