Lori's Desperate Plea

Sources tell Us the college admissions scandal is taking a toll on the disgraced actress — and on her marriage BY

- Jaime Harkin

What a difference five months can make. In April, when Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli made their first court appearance for their alleged involvement in the college admissions scandal, the actress — looking chic in a camel pantsuit and a touch of lip gloss — cheerily told bystanders she was doing “great!” But her demeanor — and outfit — were far more solemn when she and Giannulli returned to court on Aug. 27. This time, a frowning Loughlin wore all gray, and remained tight-lipped as she held Giannulli’s hand and attempted to slip into the Boston courthouse unnoticed.

The disgraced star is finally grasping the seriousness of her situation. Along with her fashion designer husband, the Full House alum, 55, is facing up to 40 years in prison for mail fraud and money laundering after allegedly paying $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters, Isabella, 20, and Olivia Jade, 19, into the prestigious University of Southern California by having them pretend to be rowing recruits. Since her March arrest, Loughlin’s world has been slowly crumbling around her. And now, sources tell Us, things have gone from bad to worse. Her 22-year marriage to Giannulli, 56, is starting to unravel, and her relationship with her girls is on shaky ground. All the while, the strained couple’s legal bills are mounting as they await their fate. “Lori,” says an insider, “is really scared.”

MARITAL DISCORD