Several months after her parents, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the college admissions scandal, Olivia Jade has posted a short life update to her home away from home: YouTube. In her new vlog, titled “hi again,” the Eighth Grade influencer-of-choice never uttered the words “rowing” or “scam” or “USC,” but rather concisely detailed how she was apparently unable to discuss Operation Varsity Blues to her followers. “Obviously I’ve been gone for a really long time, and as much as I wish I could talk about all of this — it’s really hard to say this, because I know it’s something that needs to be addressed — it’s just, unfortunately, the reason for that is because I’m legally not allowed to speak on anything going on right now,” she explained. “A part of me is like, Should I come back to YouTube right now? It’s been so long and I actually really, really miss it. I genuinely miss filming and I feel like a huge part of me is not the same because this is something that I’m really passionate about and something I like to do.” She continued on:
I debated for seven or eight months. If I can’t talk about it, is there a point in coming back and not being able to say anything? I wanna come back because I wanna come back. There’s no point in me just talking for ten minutes to the camera about how I wish I could say something when I really can’t. So, I’m gonna leave it at that. Thank you so much for your patience or if you stuck around for nine months just waiting, I really appreciate it. This is the best I can do and I want to move on with my life and not in a selfish way.
It’s so hard, because I’m not trying to make this about me, or how I’ve been, because it’s not the point of this. I’m terrified to make this video and to come back. I want to start taking smaller steps in the right direction for people that have been DM-ing and asking me. Moral of the story is, I’ve missed you guys so much and I’m really excited to start filming again and start uploading.”
Federal prosecutors are charging Jade’s parents, Loughlin and Giannulli, with bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and honest services mail fraud for their alleged involvement in Operation Varsity Blues. Specifically, court documents revealed that the couple allegedly paid bribes up to $500,000 in exchange for their two daughters to become recruits on the University of Southern California crew team “despite the fact that they did not participate in crew.” Loughlin and Giannulli have pleaded not guilty to all charges, and are awaiting an early 2020 trial. They currently face 20 years in jail, respectively.
