'Real Housewives' Stars Joe, Teresa Giudice Sentenced to Prison

By Daniel Taylor, Esq. on October 03, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Joe and Teresa Giudice, stars of the reality TV series "Real Housewives of New Jersey," were both sentenced to federal prison Thursday, though they won't be imprisoned at the same time.

Joe Giudice was sentenced to 41 months behind bars and ordered to pay $414,000 in restitution, reports New York's WCBS-TV. Giudice may also face deportation at the end of his prison term; although Giudice has lived in the United States since he was a child, he was born in Italy and was never granted U.S. citizenship.

What earned Giudice a trip to the penitentiary, and how much time is his real housewife facing for her role in the couple's crimes?

Joe Giudice Pleaded Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud

Earlier this year, both Joe and Teresa Giudice pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud. The couple admitted that they had hidden assets from creditors during a bankruptcy filing after the first season of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" aired in 2009. Generally, in order to discharge debts through bankruptcy, a debtor must disclose all assets and income to the bankruptcy court.

Part of the Giudices' scheme included mortgage fraud, in which the couple submitted phony loan applications to get up to $5 million in fraudulent loans.

In addition to pleading guilty to fraud charges and conspiracy to commit fraud with his wife, Joe Giudice also plead guilty to failing to file a tax return in 2004.

Teresa Giudice Sentenced to 15 Months

Although Giudice's wife Teresa was facing up to 27 months in prison for her role in fraud, she was sentenced to just 15 months.

In light of the couple's four young children, the judge will allow Teresa Giudice to serve her prison term first while Joe Giudice remains free to care for their children until the end of his wife's sentence, reports New York's WABC-TV.

Teresa Giudice is set to begin service her sentence in January.

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