Lori Loughlin likely to receive 'higher sentence' for role in college admissions scandal

Lawmakers are pushing for Lori Loughlin to be served a "higher sentence" for her role in the college admissions scandal.

The Fuller House star and her husband, fashion mogul Mossimo Giannulli, were arrested in March and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud after allegedly paying $500,000 (£381,750) to a fake charity to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California.

U.S Attorney for Massachusetts Andrew Lelling, who is behind the prosecution against the star, recently opened up about Lori's potential sentence, and insisted it would be harsher than Felicity Huffman's - who was sentenced to serve two weeks in jail, in addition to a $30,000 (£24,000) fine, 250 hours of community service and one year of probation for her part in the admissions scandal.

"We will probably ask for a higher sentence for (Lori) than we did for Felicity Huffman. I can't tell you what that would be... it's tough to tell at this point," he told Channel 5 Boston.

Explaining the reason behind the star's heightened sentence, he added: "It just happened to be that Ms. Huffman was probably the least culpable of the defendants who we've charged in that case.

"She took responsibility almost immediately, she was contrite, did not try to minimise her conduct. I think she handled it in a very classy way."

In April, Lori and Mossimo both rejected a plea deal, which included an additional charge of money laundering, that required both to spend two years in prison, and formally submitted not guilty pleas in a Boston, Massachusetts court.

If convicted, the actress and her husband face up to 20 years in prison for each charge.