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Olivia Jade finally breaks her silence on college admissions scandal: ‘We messed up’

Olivia Jade has finally addressed her parents’ involvement in the college admissions scandal on Red Table Talk.

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli were both sentenced to prison in August, after they admitted to paying $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters Olivia and Isabella into the University of Southern California (USC).

Lori, 56, is currently serving a two-month prison sentence at California’s Dublin FCI.

Mossimo, 57, was handed a longer sentence of five months, and reported to FCI Lompoc in November.

Lori and Mossimo with their daughters Olivia and Isabella | INSTAGRAM

Speaking out about the scandal for the first time on Tuesday’s episode of Red Table Talk, the 21-year-old said: “On paper, it’s bad. It’s really bad…”

“But I think what a lot of people don’t know is that my parents just came from a place of, ‘I love my kids, I just want to help my kids. Whatever is best for them.’ I think they thought it was normal.”

“When all this first happened and it became public, I remember thinking — and my thoughts are completely different now — ‘How are people mad about this?’”

“I know that sounds so silly, but in the bubble that I grew up in, I didn’t know so much outside of it. A lot of kids in that bubble, their parents were donating to schools and doing stuff that advantaged,” she said.

“It’s not fair and it’s not right, but it was happening. And so, when this first came out, I was like, ‘I don’t really understand what’s wrong with this.’”

“I didn’t realize at the time that was privilege. I didn’t put those two together. I was like, ‘Well, this is what everybody does, and my parents worked really hard and I don’t understand.’”

“But that’s not how it should be and unfortunately, that’s how it was, and I’m grateful for this situation to see that big change and that big difference in my own mind.”

Throughout her interview, Olivia said she isn’t trying to victimise herself, and understands what happened was wrong.

Lori and her daughter Olivia | Instagram

“I don’t want pity, I don’t deserve pity. We messed up. I just want a second chance to be like I recognise I messed up,” she said.

“I wasn’t able to talk about this for song long because of the legalities behind it. So I never got to say, ‘I’m really sorry that this happened’ or own that it was a big mess up on everybody’s part. But everybody in my family feels that way.”

“What’s so important to me is to learn from the mistake — not to now be shamed and punished and never given a second chance because I’m 21. I feel like I deserve a second chance to redeem myself, to show I’ve grown.”

“The picture that has been painted of me, I feel like is not who I am. I’m not this bratty girl who doesn’t want to change anything,” she continued.

“I understand why people are angry and I understand why people say hurtful things, and I would, too, if I wasn’t in my boat.”

Speaking about her parents being in prison, the influencer said: “It’s been hard. 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.”

“I’m super close with my parents, especially my mom, she’s like my best friend, so it’s definitely been really hard not to be able to talk to her, but I know she’s strong and I know it’s a good reflection period.”

When asked if she ever went back to USC, Olivia admitted: “I never went back. I was too embarrassed — you know what, I shouldn’t have been there in the first place, clearly, so there was no point in me trying to go back.”

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