Lori Loughlin has been seen publicly for the first time since her release from prison in December, as the Full House alum broke cover to give back to the community in Los Angeles earlier this week.
Loughlin, 56, who spent two months behind bars for her part in the widespread college admissions scandal known as ‘Operation Varsity Blues’, was photographed handing out meals for Project Angel Food on Tuesday afternoon.
The organization – whose previous celebrity volunteers include Meghan Markle and Prince Harry – prepare and deliver meals to people suffering from life-threatening illnesses.
For the occasion, a casual-looking Loughlin sported an somewhat ironic varsity blue-colored ‘California’ sweatshirt, jeans, and baby blue and white sneakers.
The 90210 actress also donned a blue Project Angel Food baseball cap with a matching company logo-emblazoned face mask.
Lori Loughlin has emerged for the first time publicly since her release from prison in December
Loughlin, 56, who spent two months behind bars for her part in the widespread college admissions scandal dubbed ‘Operation Varsity Blues’, was photographed handing out meals for Project Angel Food on Tuesday afternoon
The organization – whose previous A-list volunteers include Meghan Markle and Prince Harry – prepare and deliver meals to people suffering from life-threatening illnesses
For the occasion, Loughlin sported an somewhat ironically varsity blue-colored ‘California’ sweatshirt, with jeans, blue and white sneakers. The 90210 actress also donned a Project Angel Food baseball cap with a matching face mask
In May last year, Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty to paying $500,000 to Rick Singer in order to secure their daughters Olivia Jade, 21, and Isabella Rose, 22, places in the University of Southern California.
As part of the scam, the couple attempted to pass their daughters off as rowing stars, despite the fact that neither participated in the sport.
Having initially pleaded not guilty, and each facing 40 years behind bars, the couple struck a plea deal with prosecutors, which saw Loughlin admit to once count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and a single count of mail fraud.
As a result, Loughlin was issued a two month prison sentence, in addition to being ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $150,000 fine.
Last month, Us Weekly reported that Loughlin had completed her community service hours, working with Project Angel Food as well as with children with learning difficulties.
A source told the outlet that actress was going ‘above and beyond’ the hours the court had ordered her to serve.
In a statement to People, Project Angel Food’s head of communications, Brad Bessey, said the non-profit was ‘grateful’ for all of Loughlin’s hard work.
‘Lori Loughlin completed her community service in early February,’ Bessey said. ‘We are grateful that she’s a compassionate person who continues to volunteer with Project Angel Food.’
A source close to Loughlin also told the outlet that she is ‘very focused’ on her charity work as well as her family at the moment.
‘Lori is able to live a private life in Hidden Hills,’ the source said. ‘She spends a lot of time at home, does yoga and sees her daughters. She has been very focused on completing her court-ordered community service. She continues to be involved in charity. She always enjoyed charity work.’
In May last year, Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty to paying $500,000 to Rick Singer in order to secure their daughters Olivia Jade, 21, and Isabella Rose, 22, places in the University of Southern California
Loughlin was issued a two month prison sentence, in addition to being ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $150,000 fine
Last month, Us Weekly reported that Loughlin had completed her community service hours, working with Project Angel Food as well as with children with learning difficulties
In a statement, Project Angel Food’s head of communications, Brad Bessey, said the non-profit was ‘grateful’ for all of Loughlin’s hard work
The actress is said to be going ‘above and beyond’ the hours the court had ordered her to serve
While Loughlin gave back to the local community in LA on Tuesday, her husband remains behind bars
Loughlin was released from a a federal correctional facility in Dublin, California on December 28, after serving her two month sentence.
The 56-year-old reportedly had a ‘tearful’ reunion with her daughters Olivia Jade, 21, and Bella Rose, 22, when she finally returned home to their Malibu mansion.
Giannulli, however, who has been married to Loughlin since 1997, is still behind bars.
As part of his plea deal, the fashion designer agreed to serve a five-month sentence at a prison in Lompoc, near Santa Barbara, after prosecutors said he deserved a tougher sentence because he was ‘the more active participant in the scheme’.
Giannulli, 57, has also been ordered to serve 250 hours community service and pay a $250,000 fine.
He is scheduled to be released on April 17, having lost his bid for an early release in January, citing COVID-19 concerns.
Loughlin ‘can’t wait’ to welcome her husband home, a source told People.
‘Mossimo is doing okay,’ they said. ‘The prison COVID restrictions have been less extreme. He is still expected to be released on April 17. Lori can’t wait to have him back home again.’
Actress Lori Loughlin, and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli (far right) leave the federal courthouse after a hearing on charges in Boston, in 2019
The 56-year-old reportedly had a ‘tearful’ reunion with her daughters Olivia Jade (left), 21, and Bella Rose (right), 22, when she finally returned home to their Malibu mansion. Giannulli (second from right), however, who has been married to Loughlin since 1997, is still behind bars
Also charged alongside Giannulli and Loughlin in the scandal was actress Felicity Huffman, who pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 for someone to re-take her daughter’s college entrance exams.
Huffman, who admitted her guilt from the start, served nearly two weeks in prison last year.
Of the nearly 60 parents, coaches and others charged in the case, about a dozen are still fighting the allegations. The sentences for the parents who have pleaded so far in the case range from a couple weeks to nine months.
The mastermind behind the scandal, Rick Singer, has also pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy but has not yet been sentenced.
Singer began cooperating with investigators in September 2018 and secretly recorded his phone calls with the parents to help build cases against them.
Those conversations, and Singer’s wide-reaching scam, are set to be profiled in the upcoming documentary series, Operation Varsity Blues, which will be released on Netflix on March 17.