Joe and Teresa Giudice Prison News: Real Housewives of New Jersey Couple Sentenced With Prison Terms
Joe and Teresa Giudice are heading to jail, after a Federal judge handed them 41 months and 15 months sentences respectively.
Giuseppe otherwise known as "Joe" and Teresa Giudice are stars of the reality show The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which airs on Bravo.
Fans of the show have been left shocked after the couple pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion charges brought by the federal government. They had started by pleading not guilty to the charges that were brought against them in 2013, but abruptly changed it to a guilty plea in 2014.
Teresa admitted to the judge that "she was scared" of prison time as she was requesting leniency to avoid prison so she could care for her four children. The judge took this into consideration and allowed a staggering of their sentences, so Teresa will serve her sentence first allowing Joe to remain with their children, and then once she comes out, her husband will serve his sentence.
Forbes also notes that the sentence handed down to Joe and Teresa, includes restitution to the government amounting to $414,588 for each of them. It also stipulates that Joe should attend an alcohol treatment program, which stems from a DUI in 2010 and his admission subsequently that his drinking problem has persisted.
There is also speculation that Joe, will be deported after his sentence as he is not a citizen of the United States. Forbes quotes Judge Esther Salas stating that Joe "would likely be removed from the United States."
During the proceedings surrounding the sentencing, the court finally stated that any decision on deportation will be made by the authorities once his prison term was complete, and not by the court at this stage.
With the future of the The Real Housewives of New Jersey up in the air, Bravo has not commented either on the show's future or their sentencing. Bravo is instead airing a special titled "Watch What Happens Live: One-on-One with Teresa and Joe" which will feature the couple's first interview after sentencing.
