Lori Loughlin is learning that a contract signed in better times can become a financial mess when a marriage dissolves — especially when your husband was worth over $100 million before you said “I do.”
Divorce Drama
Although the “Full House” actress has not officially filed for divorce but did announcement her separation earlier this month from fashion mogul Mossimo Giannulli. It could be the end of their nearly 28-year marriage, and the financial implications are significant. TMZ reports its sources with direct knowledge of the matter confirm the couple signed a prenuptial agreement in November 1997 that established their assets as separate property, a provision Giannulli insisted upon before the wedding.
At the time, his clothing brand had already made him extraordinarily wealthy. The prenup was designed to protect that pre-marital fortune, and if it remains enforceable, Loughlin could be blocked from claiming substantial marital assets, according to Lawyer Monthly.
The couple’s combined wealth is estimated between $80 and $160 million, encompassing real estate holdings, brand investments, and residuals.
Their Hidden Hills mansion, valued at approximately $16.5 million, according to the International Business Times, is reportedly being prepared for sale. However, the prenup’s separate property clause means that much of this wealth may remain legally tied to Giannulli’s pre-marital assets, potentially limiting what Loughlin can claim in the dissolution.
The separation marks the final fallout from the 2019 college admissions scandal that saw both serve time after prosecutors accused them of paying $500,000 in bribes to secure their daughters’ university placements as fake athletic recruits.
Loughlin served two months, while Giannulli served five.
Under California law, the 1997 prenup could protect not only Giannulli’s initial $100 million but also any appreciation on those assets that occurred during the marriage, provided the growth can be traced to his separate property. The agreement reportedly contains strict provisions regarding spousal support, a standard feature in high-net-worth prenups designed to keep business interests and earnings separate. This structure could significantly restrict Loughlin’s financial claims, regardless of her own earnings over 28 years.
Loughlin’s legal team is reportedly preparing to challenge the prenup’s enforceability. Their strategy focuses on questioning whether the agreement was properly disclosed at signing, whether subsequent actions or agreements rendered it void, or whether its terms have become unconscionable after nearly three decades. California courts can set aside prenuptial agreements under specific circumstances, including lack of proper legal representation, insufficient financial disclosure, or terms that have become manifestly unfair over time.
The couple has been living separately for months and reportedly cannot communicate without arguing, relying on their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose to pass messages.
Both daughters are said to be heartbroken over the split. While representatives characterize the situation as “taking a break,” the extended separation and preparation for asset liquidation suggest otherwise.
The financial battle ahead promises to be complex. Beyond the prenup, the couple still has joint assets and business interests acquired during the marriage that will need division. Community property rules in California typically mandate equal division of assets acquired during marriage, but the prenup’s separate property clause could complicate these calculations significantly. If Giannulli can demonstrate that joint assets were purchased with funds traceable to his pre-marital wealth, those assets may also be classified as separate property.
What appeared to be a straightforward Hollywood separation has evolved into a high-stakes financial dispute, with a decades-old contract now determining whether Loughlin receives a substantial settlement or walks away with considerably less than the couple’s combined net worth might suggest.