Divorce Drama and Financial Stakes for Lori Loughlin

Lori Loughlin is discovering that a prenuptial agreement signed during happier times can turn into a financial minefield when a marriage falls apart — especially when your spouse was already worth over $100 million before saying “I do.”

The Breakdown

The Full House actress recently announced her separation from her husband of nearly 28 years, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli. Although no official divorce filing has been made, representatives close to the couple confirm that they are living separately and “taking a break from their marriage” (People).

Sources familiar with the situation told major outlets that the couple entered into a prenuptial agreement in November 1997, months before their wedding. The document reportedly defined all assets as separate property — a condition Giannulli insisted upon to protect the wealth he had amassed from his successful clothing brand (Yahoo). At that time, his company was already generating enormous profits, and his net worth exceeded $100 million (Hola).

What the Prenup Could Mean

If the prenup remains enforceable, it could significantly restrict Loughlin’s access to any portion of Giannulli’s fortune. Legal experts explain that, under California law, a prenuptial agreement may safeguard not only assets acquired before marriage but also the appreciation of those assets during the marriage, provided that growth can be traced directly to the original separate property (Yahoo).

The couple’s combined wealth is estimated to fall between $80 million and $160 million, including luxury homes, brand investments, and royalties. Their Hidden Hills mansion, reportedly valued around $16.5 million, is expected to be sold (SheKnows). However, due to the prenup’s strict “separate property” clause, a large portion of these assets could remain legally tied to Giannulli, leaving Loughlin with far less than half of the estate (TMZ).

Attorneys familiar with high-net-worth divorces suggest that such agreements are designed precisely to avoid major financial losses. Many include strict provisions that limit spousal support and prevent claims against business interests or intellectual property created before or during the marriage.

Complicating Factors

Loughlin’s legal team is reportedly considering challenging the validity of the prenup. According to Lawyer Monthly, California courts can set aside such agreements if they were signed without full financial disclosure, without independent legal counsel, or if the terms have become excessively unfair over time. After nearly three decades of marriage, those arguments could carry weight.

Even so, disputes like this often hinge on tracing funds — determining whether marital assets were purchased with joint income or with Giannulli’s premarital wealth. If he can prove that specific assets stemmed from his separate property, they could remain solely his, complicating Loughlin’s ability to claim half under California’s community-property laws.

The Broader Backdrop

This marital breakdown follows years of public scrutiny after the 2019 college admissions scandal, in which Loughlin and Giannulli were accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to secure their daughters’ admission to the University of Southern California. Both served time in federal prison — Loughlin for two months and Giannulli for five — and the ordeal reportedly took a toll on their marriage (Entertainment Weekly).

According to insiders, tensions have been building since their release, with growing emotional distance and frequent arguments. Some reports allege that Loughlin discovered “incriminating messages” that shattered her trust, deepening the rift (Cosmopolitan).

Their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, are said to be heartbroken over the split. Both parents are reportedly communicating through them rather than directly.

What’s Next?

While representatives continue to describe the situation as a “trial separation,” preparations for asset sales and legal consultations indicate a permanent split may be inevitable. The financial stakes are high: beyond the prenup, the couple still holds business interests and shared property that must be divided.

If Giannulli successfully enforces the prenuptial agreement, Loughlin could walk away with a modest settlement compared to the couple’s vast combined wealth. But if her legal team manages to have parts of the agreement voided or revised, she could secure a much larger share of their fortune.

What began as a quiet Hollywood separation has turned into a complex, high-stakes legal drama — one that will test not only a decades-old contract but also how California’s courts balance fairness, wealth, and longevity in modern celebrity marriages.