“Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband are contesting expanded charges against them in the college admissions bribery scandal.
Lawyers for Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli entered not guilty pleas on their behalf to charges of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery on Nov. 19.
Earlier this month, the couple waived their right to appear in federal court in Boston to answer to the latest counts.
Prosecutors added the bribery charge for 11 parents who previously pleaded not guilty in the case. Another 19 parents have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so.
Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as fake athletic recruits. Their daughters no longer attend USC.
The couple previously pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering.
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.
A total of 35 wealthy and celebrity parents have been charged in the scheme that showed how far some will go to get their children into top universities like Stanford and Yale.
Some parents are accused of paying admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer to falsely portray their children as star athletes and then bribe college sports officials to get them admitted as recruited athletes. Others are accused of paying Singer to help cheat on their children’s SAT and ACT exams.
Singer has pleaded guilty and agreed to work with investigators in hopes of receiving a more lenient sentence.
