Who is Olivia Jade Giannulli, the YouTube star caught up in the US bribery scandal?
- The student, 19, who has 2 million YouTube followers and another 1 million on Instagram, is facing a big backlash
American YouTube and Instagram star Olivia Jade Giannulli’s life was turned upside down this week when her parents were charged over their links to a university-admissions bribery scandal.
On Tuesday, United States federal agents charged Lori Loughlin, the model and star of the American sitcom Full House and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, with agreeing to pay US$500,000 in bribes in exchange for having Olivia Jade Giannulli and her sister, Isabella Rose Giannulli, designated as recruits to the University of Southern California’s rowing team to help their admissions to the university; neither girl takes part in rowing.
Before the arrests, Olivia Jade Giannulli, 19, enjoyed what appeared to be an enviable life, with videos showcasing her fashionable outfits, luxe holidays and expensive gifts.
YouTube will always be my #1 passion. I promise I’d way rather be filming 24/7 than sitting in 6 hours of classes straight but an education is also super important to me
With millions of social-media followers, she established paid partnerships with brands such as Amazon and Sephora, the French personal care and beauty store brand, while also attending the university.
On Thursday, Sephora announced it had cancelled its collaboration with Giannulli.
Check out her glamorous life – spent balancing her demands at University of Southern California (USC) with a thriving career as a YouTube and Instagram star and social-media influencer.
Olivia Jade Giannulli’s parents – Lori Loughlin (below right) and Mossimo Giannulli – eloped in 1997.
