Olivia Jade Giannulli has garnered an impressive following as an Instagram influencer, but some of her highly-engaged posts are getting renewed attention after her parents, actress Lori Loughlin and designer Mossimo Giannulli, were among the dozens of high-profile figures charged in a scheme to bribe college officials to get their children into elite universities.
According to The New York Times, thirty-three parents have been charged in the case with more indictments likely to come.
Also implicated were top college coaches, who were accused of accepting millions of dollars to help admit students to Wake Forest, Yale, Stanford, the University of Southern California and other schools, regardless of their academic or sports ability, officials said.
Whether or not Giannulli knew about her parents’ actions, her college experience was becoming part of her brand. In a post to Instagram from September of last year, she shared a picture of herself sitting on a bed with the caption: “Officially a college student!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn17xhEA4H_/
The post, an advertisement for Amazon Prime Student, was immediately set upon by commenters casting doubt as to whether Giannulli made it into college on her own merits.
“What a joke,” one person wrote. “there are plenty of hard working students that deserve to actually be there.”
“Another spoiled brat,” wrote another. “taking from someone who really deserves an opportunity you didn’t work for. Congrats on getting kicked out!”
In another post for SmileDirectClub, Gianulli wrote: “For back-to-school season, I’ve been using a doctor-directed, at-home invisible aligner treatment with @SmileDirectClub. I’m so happy with my results so far! Having a straighter smile definitely makes me feel more confident.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn43spEAUWx/
The mockery was plentiful on that post as well.
“your smile may be straight but your family is crooked”
“Let mommy and daddy open that box when they go to trial.”
Just three days ago, Giannulli gave an interview with the Zach Slang Show where the host asked her why she even chooses to go to college at all given her success as an influencer.
“Mostly, my parents really wanted me to go because both of them didn’t go to college,” she replied. “But I’m so happy they made me go. That sounds so terrible. They didn’t make me.”
Featured image via screen grab/YouTube
