The Real Housewives Of New Jersey
Season 11 Me (*115) 21:30 Reality
Trouble seems to follow Teresa Giudice like a bad odour. And it’s not getting any easier for The Real Housewives Of New Jersey star. “People are trying to sabotage my new relationship,” says the 49-year-old. “I’ve distanced myself from my ex-husband Joe [he’s been extradited to Italy on fraud charges] and I’m trying to get on with my life. But there are people who want to see me unhappy.”
Teresa’s troubles started long ago though. She and Joe filed for bankruptcy in 2009 but were able to magically “find” money when the courts ordered their belongings to be auctioned to pay creditors. And then they were found guilty of not paying tax between 2004 and 2009 after being investigated by the IRS – they reportedly earned more than $5 million (R75 million) through their various businesses. Teresa served an 11-month prison sentence and still proclaims her innocence, saying that “this is what happened. I signed papers. There was no intent to commit a crime. I didn’t know that I was committing a crime. The government didn’t see it the way that I do. I served my time.”
In 2015, Teresa’s beach house was put on auction after they missed bond payments – not a single bid was made on the property at the auction. “I was stunned. We had to sell privately and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” says Teresa, who has a current net worth of $500 000 (R7.5 million). Her engagement to businessman Luis is also under the microscope after a video went viral this year of him begging his ex-wife for another chance. “He was drunk with friends. That’s his past and we’re moving forward,” says Teresa.