Lori Loughlin’s Friends Say She Should ‘Have Followed’ Felicity Huffman’s Lead and ‘Taken a Plea Deal’

The legal battle continues. Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, will soon be facing a judge for a status hearing on October 2 regarding their alleged involvement in the nationwide college admission scandal. The couple is facing up to 40 years behind bars and their closest friends are worried about what the outcome will be. Some of them reportedly even suggested that Lori should have taken a plea deal like Felicity Huffman.

“Lori’s friends are concerned,” an insider close to the Fuller House actress, 55, tells UsWeekly. “They say she should have followed [Felicity]’s lead and accepted responsibility.”

The actress and designer both plead not guilty to the charges made against them back in April. Loughlin and Giannulli, 56, have both been accused of allegedly shelling out $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters Bella, 20, and Olivia Jade, 19, accepted to the University of Southern California as recruits of the school’s crew team.

On the other hand, Huffman previously pleaded guilty to dropping $15,000 to increase her daughter’s SAT score. In April, the Desperate Housewives actress, 56, took to Instagram with a statement expressing her remorse.

“I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions,” she wrote at the time, while also apologizing to her daughter, family, friends, colleagues as well as the entire educational community.

That same month, Huffman agreed to a plea deal which ensured that the U.S. Attorney would recommend a prison sentence at the “low end” of the range for this type of crime, in addition to a “fine.” She’s scheduled to appear in court again on Friday, September 13, where she will finally receive her sentence.

“Lori regrets not doing what Felicity did,” a different source previously told outlet. Meanwhile, another insider claimed that “Lori was inclined to take the deal, but Mossimo said it would ruin both of their careers.”