Lori Loughlin's daughters may have known about college admissions scandal, prosecutors allege

When more than 50 high-powered parents were caught up in the US college admissions scandal last year, in which they allegedly paid bribes to secure their children's enrolment into prestigious universities, it was noted that the kids were unaware of the scheme.

Full House star Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli were implicated in the scandal, but they too denied their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, had any knowledge of the crime.

But now in a memo obtained by Us Weekly, prosecutors believe that may not be the case as the famous couple allegedly involved their daughters and even asked them to beware of their high school counsellor.

"The crime Giannulli and Loughlin committed was serious," Assistant US Attorney Justin O'Connell wrote in the note to the judge on August 17. "Over the course of two years, they engaged twice in Singer's fraudulent scheme. They involved both their daughters in the fraud, directing them to pose in staged photographs for use in fake athletic profiles and instructing one daughter how to conceal the scheme from her high school counsellor."

Allegedly, Loughlin, 56, and Giannulli, 57, advised their daughter Olivia Jade, now 20, to stay clear of the counsellor, who the actress allegedly referred to as a "weasel". 

The disgraced actress allegedly told Olivia Jade to go ahead and list the University of Southern California as her first choice in her college application, but warned her that the counsellor might grow suspicious. 

"Yes… But it might be a flag for the weasel to meddle," Loughlin allegedly said.

Giannulli, a fashion designer who founded the clothing brand Mossimo, then allegedly referred to the adviser as a "nosy bastard" and told his daughter, "Don't say too much to that man."

Both Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, 21, eventually gained admission into USC as rowing recruits, even though neither had participated in the sport before.

It will be alleged by prosecutors that Loughlin and Giannulli paid Singer bribes upwards of US$500,000 (approx. $700,000) to secure their daughters' placement at the elite university.

The couple, who initially pleaded guilty before changing their plea, will be sentenced on August 21.