“Real Housewives” Stars Sentenced

UPDATE: Teresa Giudice has been sentenced to prison for 15 months. She will begin serving her sentence January 5, 2015. As we reported earlier, Teresa will serve her sentence ahead of her husband Joe so that he can care for their children.

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“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Joe Giudice was sentenced to 41 months in prison for fraud charges.

Giudice will also have supervised release for two years following release. He was also ordered to pay $414,588.90 due immediately.

His wife Teresa is still awaiting sentencing. The couple plead guilty to 41 counts including bankruptcy fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and wire fraud. The criminal activity is believed to have netted the couple $5 million over 10 years.

Prior to sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas scolded the couple for failing to let the court know they purchased ‘recreational vehicles, home furnishings, cars, construction equipment’ and more over the past few months.

In addition to the above charges, Joe Giudice was also charged with failure to file tax returns from 2004 to 2008.

Teresa Giudice was a cast member for six seasons of the hit Bravo television series, and is the second-highest paid star on the “Real Housewives” franchise. She has also published three New York Times bestselling cookbooks, and was a cast member on Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice.”

The judge did indicate that if she sentences Teresa to prison she would have her serve her sentence first so Joe could stay with the couples four children.

There is more trouble after the prison terms are served.  Joe Giudice, an Italian citizen, could be deported following his prison term.

Story developing.