US Weekly: Lori Loughlin Believes College Admissions Case Could Be Dropped

As Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli's trial in the nationwide college admissions case draws near, the couple are "more steadfast than ever that they did nothing illegal," an insider told US Weekly.

"Lori's lawyers feel they have a very strong chance of having the charges dismissed," the source explained, "because prosecutors withheld key evidence that [ringleader] Rick Singer was pressured by the FBI to lie in the course of his conversations with Lori."

"It was entrapment, misleading a defendant so that Rick could get a favorable sentence for his role," the source added. "Rick was the mastermind in all of this."

PLEADED NOT GUILTY

In October 2019, the Justice Department declared that Loughlin and Giannulli were indicted on additional federal charges related to bribery, alongside nine other parents, as reported by Fox News.

A grand jury in Boston indicted them on charges of attempting to bribe officials at an association, which gets at least $10,000 in federal funding.

The couple previously pleaded not guilty to the expanded charges. They have been accused of arranging a total collective payment of $500,000 to William "Rick" Singer.

TO GET THEIR DAUGHTERS ENROLLED

Allegedly, their purpose was to get their daughters, Bella and Olivia, enrolled in the University of Southern California as athletes on the crew team, in spite of never having joined in the sport.

Loughlin and Giannulli were charged in the nationwide college admissions scandal in March 2019, as reported by Good Housekeeping.

The actress's lawyers have petitioned that the trial be moved back to February 2021.

EXTRA CHARGES

The pair have rejected a plea deal since then. They have been hit with extra charges that could result in as long as 50 years in jail.

Loughlin and Giannulli have blamed prosecutors for concealing proof, as well. The actress's lawyers have petitioned that the trial be moved back to February 2021.

Filed by the FBI in April, the court documents uncovered the pictures Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly used to help get Olivia and Bella into the university.

Meanwhile, Olivia and Bella are gradually returning to their normal routine. But the siblings had been uncomfortable after their parents' court trial.

Olivia and Bella have begun to meet their friends. They have gone out to shop and have had lunch out and supper with buddies.

Olivia, who lost brand sponsorships after the college admission scandal, is going back to being active on social media.