Sofia Richieis throwing her support behindOlivia Jade Giannulliafter the 21-year-old influencerbroke her silenceabout her family’s involvement in the high-profilecollege admissions scandal.
On Tuesday, Olivia shared a clip of her recent appearance on Facebook Watch’sRed Table Talk, in which she spoke about her parentsLori LoughlinandMossimo Giannulli’s arrests and subsequent prison sentences.
“Yes girl!!😍😍 Cant wait for what’s ahead,” Richie, 22, commented on Olivia’s Instagram page.
When an Instagram user criticized Richie’s remark, writing that it was “white privilege supporting white privilege,” the daughter ofLionel Richieand Diane Alexander was quick to defend her friend.
Sofia Richie (left), Olivia Jade Giannulli (right).getty images (2)
sofia richie/instagram
Richie wasn’t the only one with praise for Olivia following her candid sit-down. Olivia’s boyfriendJackson Guthyalsoshowed his supportfor the star hours following the interview’s premiere, writing on his Instagram Stories alongside a clip from the show, “Very proud of you!”
Loughlin, 56, and Mossimo, 57, were accused of paying college admissions scam ringleaderRick Singer$500,000 to designate Olivia and her sister,Isabella Rose, 22, falsely asrecruits to the University of Southern California crew team. After denying any wrongdoing for more than a year, the couplepleaded guiltyto fraud charges in May.
TheFull Housestar admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Mossimo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of honest services wire and mail fraud.
On Aug. 21, a judge approved the couple’s plea deal,sentencing Loughlin to two months in jail, a $150,000 fine and 150 hours of community service. Fashion designer Mossimoreceived five months in jail, a $250,000 fine and 250 hours of service.
In her first interview sincenews of the controversy broke last year, Olivia told co-hostJada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris, “I think for anybody, no matter what the situation is, you don’t want to see your parents go to prison, but also I think it’s necessary for us to move on and move forward.”
While the situation has been difficult, Olivia said she recognizes that the family “messed up.”
“I’m not trying to victimize myself. I don’t want pity — I don’t deserve pity. We messed up. I just want a second chance to be like, ‘I recognize I messed up,’ " she said. “I never got to say, ‘I’m really sorry that this happened,’ or ‘I really own that this was a big mess-up on everybody’s part,’ but I think everybody feels that way in my family right now.”
In the immediate aftermath of her parents' arrests, Olivia said she “wasn’t angry” at them, primarily because she initially “didn’t see the wrong” in the situation.
“I was like, ‘Why is everybody complaining? ‘” she said. “That’s embarrassing within itself, that I walked around my whole 20 years of life not realizing, ‘You have insane privilege. You’re like the poster child of white privilege. You had no idea.’ "
source: people.com
