Lori Loughlin didn't deserve to go to prison for college admissions scandal, former Hallmark star Danica McKellar says (2024)

• Lori Loughlin returned to TV a year after she was sentenced in the college admissions scandal.
• But fellow former Hallmark Channel star Danica McKellar doesn't think Loughlin deserved prison time.
• Loughlin served two months after admitting she paid a $500,000 bribe to get her daughters into USC.

When Lori Loughlin returned to TV a year after she was sentenced in the college admissions scandal, many were shocked by how quickly she was welcomed back into Hollywood.

But fellow former Hallmark star Danica McKellar doesn't believe that Loughlin deserved to go to prison.

"She's a wonderful person, she always has been, and it would be challenging to find a person who hasn't made a mistake in their life," McKellar told Insider on the red carpet at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on March 22.

"She served her time," McKellar added. "I'm not going to speak to whether or not she deserved that, personally I don't think so — but she served the time."

Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were among the dozens of wealthy parents —including CEOs, high-profile lawyers, and actress Felicity Huffman —who were sentenced in the scheme known as "Operation Varsity Blues."

More than 50 people were charged after an investigation uncovered the scheme, which, according tocourt documents reviewed by Insider, involved parents bribing college athletic coaches and entrance exam administrators to get their children into elite schools across the US. Funds were funneled into a sham charity run by so-called college-prep professional William "Rick" Singer, prosecutors said.

Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded guilty in May 2020, admitting they paid Singer $500,000 to guarantee their daughters' admissions to the University of Southern California. Loughlin, who called it an "awful decision," was sentenced to two months in prison and released in December 2020.

In December 2021, Loughlin appeared on the GAC Family show "When Hope Calls," reprising her role from the Hallmark Channel series "When Heart Calls." Loughlin had been dropped by Hallmark when she was charged in the scandal.

McKellar —who was among Hallmark's biggest stars to leave for GAC Family — told Insider she was happy to be back on the same network as Loughlin.

A post shared by Danica McKellar (@danicamckellar)

"She has donated so much money since that time to fund the education for many kids," McKellar said. "I couldn't love her more, and I've always thought that way."

McKellar also opened up about her decision to join GAC Family, which was launched in 2021 by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.

"I've done 16 movies for the Hallmark Channel and I loved my time there," she said. "In this network I get a much more hands-on role with executive producing, and it's really exciting to sign this multi-picture deal with them and be creating movies."

And while Hallmark has received criticism over the last few years for its lack of diversity, McKellar said she's proud to have been on a channel that "promotes women and women's stories."

"Historically, if you look at most movies, it's mostly guys," she said. "I've been in the business for over 30 years, and to have gotten to tell these stories and not be 'the girlfriend of' or 'the wife of' or 'the daughter of,' it's been wonderful."