EXCLUSIVE: Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's Marriage Was Nearly 'Destroyed' From Prison Stint... Months Before They Officially Separated
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli almost saw their marriage crash and burn following their prison stint.
Oct. 3 2025, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's marriage nearly fell apart from their prison stint, months before the couple officially decided to call it quits, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Full House actress was sentenced to two months behind bars, while Giannulli got five months, after they both pleaded guilty to wire and mail fraud after paying half a million dollars for their daughters' admission into the University of Southern California.
What Happened After Their Prison Stint?
Loughlin and Giannulli's marriage was hanging by a thread following their prison stint.
While they have both since been released from prison, their time locked up rocked their relationship.
"Their prison stints nearly destroyed their marriage," an insider previously said. "There was a lot of tension when they got out." Following the scandal, Loughlin returned to the small screen with roles in When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas, a spinoff of When Calls the Heart, in December 2021.
According to the source, the TV star getting back to work did "wonders" for her marriage at the time, as they claimed, "If she hadn’t gotten acting work again, the whole house of cards would have collapsed."
They continued: "Lori and Mossimo already did a lot of finger-pointing over the way their lives got turned upside down when they were accused of paying bribes and lying to get their unqualified daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella, into the University of Southern California on the pretense the girls were competitive athletes skilled in rowing events.
"She would have held it against Mossimo if she hadn’t been taken back into the acting community."
The Marriage Fell Apart
Both Loughlin and Giannulli spent time behind bars for their part in the college admissions scandal.
At the time, the insider claimed the pair, who tied the knot in 1997, had been working on their marriage.
"Lori's committed to her marriage, but they are still working through some issues and dealing with going from a fancy, rich couple to convicts in the public’s eyes," the source explained.
However, it looks like things truly did fall apart eventually, as on Thursday, October 2, Loughlin's rep confirmed their split and shared in a statement, "They are living apart and taking a break from their marriage. There are no legal proceedings at this time."
Just one day before their split, Loughlin was seen embracing Anne Heche's ex-partner and her former co-star James Tupper. The two cozied up outside the Bird Streets Club in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 1.
Was Giannulli Supportive Of Loughlin?
The now-former couple were accused with paying $500K to get their daughters accepted into a college.
While it had been almost five years since their prison stint, one insider previously said their marriage was taking more hits than ever as more time went by, despite pals thinking the college admissions scandal would draw "Lori and Mossimo closer together, but they have argued a lot since being released from prison."
A source said: "Lori isn't going to let Mossimo's jealousy slow her down. She wants to get him on board with her comeback, or she may leave him behind."
Earlier this year, Loughlin, 61, appeared without Giannulli while at the Women’s Cancer Research Fund gala in Beverly Hills.
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Massimo Gianulli was sentenced to five years in jail after pleading guilty in connection with conspiracy charges in the college admission bribery case.
"The marriage has been second best and less of a priority, to her at least, and he’s mooching around with his golfing buddies and grumbling she’s been sucked up by Hollywood and fame," a source had noted.
"Mossimo doesn’t want to stand stupidly by her side on the red carpet if he can help it, so he’s just opting not to go."
Giannulli was also said not to be very supportive when Loughlin snagged a big role on the Dick Wolfe police drama, On Call.
