The USC coach who created a fake crew profile for Lori Loughlin's daughter pleads guilty

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Laura Janke, a 36-year-old assistant football coach at the USC, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and agreed to cooperate with the government's investigation and to testify at the trial, if necessary.

Prosecutors have recommended that she be sentenced to 27 to 33 months in prison, which is the bottom of the sentencing guidelines. They also agreed not to initiate any further criminal proceedings against Janke.

Janke was part of a dozen coaches and test administrators indicted for racketeering plotting in March as part of the confession scam. In addition, 33 parents were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud for allegedly participating in the scheme.

His main role in the college admissions scam was to work with Rick Singer, the project's mastermind, to create fake sport profiles that would make the children of wealthy parents appear as high-performance athletes, facilitating thus their entry into selective universities.
Laura Janke, in the center, is seen in front of the John Joseph Moakley American Courthouse in Boston on March 25, 2019.

Even after leaving USC, Janke continued to work with Singer and created fake sports profiles for his clients, including Loughlin's two daughters, US Attorney General Eric Rosen told the court.

"Almost all schools requiring a falsified profile were created by Ms. Janke," said Rosen.

In court, Rosen considered the evidence that would have been disclosed if the case had been tried. He stated that Janke had accepted bribes as an employee and assistant coach at the USC, as well as falsified documents which she knew would be used to be admitted. Both parts of the scheme were done by mail or interstate links.

In addition, while at USC, she helped four students enter college because of false athletic achievements. One of those students was the daughter of Philip Esformes, who was sentenced in Miami as part of a separate fraudulent health scheme, Rosen said. Esformes was not charged in connection with the college fraud.

Janke has also created fake sport profiles for a Canadian client describing them as elite footballers for UCLA, as well as a pole vault for Elisabeth Kimmel's son, Rosen said. Kimmel pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy in this case.

The fake profile of Olivia Jade

In one example, the criminal complaint states that on July 14, 2017, Singer sent an email to Janke asking him to prepare a team profile for the youngest daughter of actress Lori Loughlin and the stylist Mossimo Giannulli.

"Ok, that sounds good," replied Janke, according to the complaint. "Please send me the relevant information and I will start."

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Two days later, Singer sent Giannulli an e-mail to ask him for a "photo action", the complaint said. On July 28, Giannulli sent an email, copying Loughlin, with a picture of their youngest daughter on an ergometer, the rower.

The youngest daughter, social media influencer Olivia Jade, was later accepted into USC as a crew recruit even though she did not competitively compete, the complaint said. Giannulli asked his business manager to send a $ 50,000 payment to USC Deputy Sports Director Donna Heinel and then $ 200,000 to Singer's Charity Mischief, the complaint said. .
Giannulli and Loughlin both pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to launder money. Heinel pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering.

In addition, prosecutors said that Janke and Ali Khosroshahin, the head coach of the USC Women's Football, had nominated four students as rookies in the team in order to facilitate their entry even if students did not participate in competitive football. In exchange, Singer directed payments of a total amount of about $ 350,000 to a private football club controlled by Janke and Khosroshahin, according to the indictment.

Khosroshahin pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charge.

Sarah Jorgensen and Sonia Moghe of CNN contributed to this report.

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