Lori Loughlin's Career From Actress to College Admissions Scandal

Lori Loughlin started as a young soap opera star and made it big on network TV, but her time in the spotlight hasn’t been all positive.

Lori became interested in acting at a young age after entering the modeling world at 11. “My mom had a friend who was going into Manhattan to meet with a modeling agency,” she recalled in a 2004 interview 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,'" she told 'US Weekly'

At 15, she landed her first television role on ABC’s popular soap opera 'The Edge of Night', appearing from 1980 to 1983. Five years later, she was cast in her most recognizable role to date: "Aunt Becky" on 'Full House'.

Loughlin starred alongside John Stamos, Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Mary-Kate, and Ashley Olsen for eight seasons on the beloved family sitcom 'Full House'. The series ran from 1987 to 1995 and held a special place in Loughlin’s heart even after it ended.

After the finale of 'Full House', Loughlin appeared as a guest star on popular TV shows like 'Spin City', 'Seinfeld', and 'Suddenly Susan'.

Loughlin’s next big project was 'Summerland', a show she co-created, produced, and starred in on the WB from 2004 to 2005. The series, featuring Jesse McCartney, Zac Efron, and Kay Panabaker, was canceled after two seasons.

Loughlin starred in the first three seasons of '90210' in the late 2000s, almost 20 years after the original 'Beverly Hills, 90210' premiered. Her character, "Debbie Wilson", moved to Paris at the end of season 3 but appeared again in the premiere of the show’s fifth and final season. The series ended in May 2013.

In 2010, Loughlin starred in the Hallmark made-for-TV movie 'Meet My Mom'. She later took on long-term projects with the network, including 'When Calls the Heart' (premiered in 2014) and the 'Garage Sale Mystery' film series, which has produced 15 movies since 2013.

In March 2019, Loughlin and Giannulli were caught up in a nationwide scandal when they were among 50 people charged by the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office with fraud and bribery. They allegedly paid $500,000 to get their daughters admitted to the University of Southern California as crew recruits, despite neither child ever having participated in the sport.

After the college admissions scandal broke in March 2019, Hallmark and Netflix quickly announced they would end their collaborations with Loughlin. She was subsequently edited out of 'When Calls the Heart's' sixth season and removed from 'Fuller House'.

As more details of the case came to light, Loughlin and Giannulli were charged with fraud, money laundering, and bribery.

Loughlin was sentenced in August 2020 for her role in the college admissions scandal. She was ordered to serve two months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and a $150,000 fine, as agreed in her plea deal. Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison, two years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and 250 hours of community service.

One month after facing additional bribery charges in October 2019, 'Us' confirmed that Loughlin would not be pleading guilty in the college scandal case. A source said in October, “The only hope is that she is acquitted or, if convicted, that the judge sees the government has been overzealous and gives her a very light prison sentence.”