Real Housewives, Real Fraud
Stars of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” Teresa and Giuseppe “Joe” Giudice were recently sentenced to prisons time by a federal judge for conspiracy and bankruptcy fraud charges.
Prison Terms for Fraud Convictions
Teresa Giudice, 42, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison. Her husband, Giuseppe “Joe”, 43, has been sentenced to 41 months (more than three years) behind bars. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Joe could have served a potential sentence of 37 to 46 months. Teresa faced 21 to 27 months. The couple must also pay $414,000 in restitution. The judge will allow Teresa to server her sentence first, so that Joe is able to stay home and care for their four young daughters.
Court Appearance
The couple held hands as they entered the federal courthouse in Newark. The couple pleaded guilty earlier in the year to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as three types of bankruptcy, admitting they had willingly hid assets from bankruptcy creditors, as well as submitted phony loan applications in order to obtain $5 million in loans for mortgages and construction. Joe also plead guilty to failure to file a tax return for 2004. He also acknowledged he did not file taxes on approximately $1 million in income between 2004 and 2008. They also failed to include all their owned recreational vehicles in their pre-sentencing report – a fact that the Giudices’ attorney blamed on an accounting omission.
Teresa had tears in her eyes when she apologized in court prior to her sentencing. “I fully take responsibility for my actions. I need to learn to take responsibility for myself,” she said. “I can’t even explain the pain that I have gone through. I am more sorry than anybody will ever know or understand.” Joe also apologized, saying he had disgraced many people.
Possible Deportation
Joe is an Italian citizen, and could be deported once his prison term is completed. His attorney has said in the past that Joe came to the U.S, when he was an infant, and was thus not aware that he is not legally an American citizen.
Source: CBS News, “Real Housewives of New Jersey” stars sentenced in fraud case, October 2, 2014
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