Sofia Richie Defends Olivia Jade Giannulli After Her Red Table Talk Appearance: 'We Are All Human'
Sofia Richie is throwing her support behind Olivia Jade Giannulli after the 21-year-old influencer broke her silence about her family's involvement in the high-profile college admissions scandal.
On Tuesday, Olivia shared a clip of her recent appearance on Facebook Watch's Red Table Talk, in which she spoke about her parents Lori Loughlin and Mossimo 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 of Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander was quick to defend her friend.
"we are all human, who make human mistakes. Life is too short to wish negativity on anyone," she replied to the commenter. "Sending you love."
Richie wasn't the only one with praise for Olivia following her candid sit-down. Olivia's boyfriend Jackson Guthy also showed his support for 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 ringleader Rick Singer $500,000 to designate Olivia and her sister, Isabella Rose, 22, falsely as recruits to the University of Southern California crew team. After denying any wrongdoing for more than a year, the couple pleaded guilty to fraud charges in May.
The Full House star 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 Mossimo received five months in jail, a $250,000 fine and 250 hours of service.
In her first interview since news of the controversy broke last year, Olivia told co-host Jada 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.' "
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