RHONJ’s Teresa Giudice Says She Was Blindsided by Fraud Charges and Thought They Were a Joke!
Teresa Giudice is opening up about one of the most painful chapters of her life — the federal fraud charges that sent her to prison and ultimately ended her marriage to Joe Giudice.
In a candid conversation with her daughter Gia Giudice on the Casual Chaos podcast, the Real Housewives of New Jersey star reflected on the events that led to her nearly year-long sentence and the collapse of her relationship with Joe.
“I thought it was all a joke,” Teresa admitted when asked how she first learned about the charges against her and Joe. “I never thought I was gonna go to jail. Ever … Never in a million [years], cause I didn’t do anything.”
Back in 2013, the couple was indicted for conspiracy to commit fraud after Joe allegedly falsified information on loan applications and had Teresa sign off on the paperwork. At the time, Teresa said she believed she was simply signing documents for a house purchase.
“I was like … I’m not involved in my husband’s business,” she recalled. “I didn’t do anything wrong … I just went to a closing. I went to a lawyer’s office, and I put my John Hancock on papers. So I thought I would have a house.”
Teresa also shared that she recently confronted Joe for clarity about what exactly she signed. “I just asked [Joe], I’m like, ‘What did I do? How many houses did I buy? One or two?’” she said. “He’s like, ‘You didn’t even buy a house … We refinanced a property I had.’ And I was like, ‘What? … I went to jail for refinancing a house?’ I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”
The aftermath of the case saw Joe serve his own sentence before being deported to Italy, where he continues to live.
He now only sees the couple’s four daughters — Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana — when they are able to travel overseas to visit. Though Teresa has long maintained her innocence, she’s made peace with the consequences. And now, more than a decade later, she’s finally speaking her truth — one podcast episode at a time.
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Raissa Asunbo is a Content Editor at All About The Tea. She lives in Toronto, Canada and enjoys reading, watching movies, traveling and spending time with her family.
