Teresa Giudice

**Teresa Giudice**(nee Gorga) (born May 18, 1972) is an American television personality, entrepreneur and author. She is best known for starring in the reality television series The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Donald Trump's The Celebrity Apprentice. Teresa is also known for her extravagant lifestyle and highly publicised financial and legal troubles leading up to her 15-month sentence in federal prison.

In 2014, Giudice was the second-highest paid star of The Real Housewives franchise. She has also been called the break-out star of the franchise, along with NeNe Leakes.

## Early Life

Teresa was born in Paterson, New Jersey. Born to Italian immigrants, Giacinto and Antonia Gorga, Teresa has a younger brother, Joe. She was raised in the Catholic faith and grew up speaking Italian, and, later, English. She attended Catholic school as a child and was a baton twirler. She went on to study fashion marketing at Berkeley College.

## Career

Giudice first appeared on the first season of Bravo's The Real Housewives of New Jersey in 2009. Teresa's sister-in-law and cousin later joined the show in Season 3.

Teresa has co-authored three successful cookbooks that include recipes handed down from her mother, "Skinny Italian" (May 4, 2010), "Fabulicious" (May 3, 2011) and "Fabulicious: Fast & Fit" (May 8, 2012). All three books have been New York Times Best Sellers. After graduating from college. Giudice worked for Macy's as an associate buyer. She has also created Fabellini, a line of bellini cocktails, as well as a haircare line with Jerel Sabella named after Giudice's daughter, Milania.

In 2012, Giudice joined the cast of The Celebrity Apprentice 5, and ultimately raised $70,000 for her selected charity, The NephCure Foundation. She was fired in episode 12, after placing fifth.

She is also a committee member for Dina's foundation, Project Ladybug.

## Personal Life

Teresa has been married to Joe Giudice since 1999, who has worked as a construction builder and restaurant owner in New Jersey. The couple have four children, Gia (January 8, 2001), Gabriella (October 4, 2004), Milania (February 2, 2006) and Audriana (September 14, 2009).

## Legal Troubles

In October 2009, the Giudices' filed for bankruptcy. An auction of furniture from their Towaco, New Jersey home was initially scheduled for August 22, 2010 but was postponed and then cancelled as the couple withdrew their petition for bankruptcy.

On July 29, 2013, Teresa and Joe Giudice were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, making false statements on loan applications, and bankruptcy fraud in a 39-count indictment. The indictment also charged Joe Giudice with failure to file tax returns for tax years 2004 through 2008, during which time he allegedly earned nearly $1 million. Teresa's attorney told the Associated Press she would plead not guilty and "we look forward to vindicating her." Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan W. Romankow and Rachael Honig represented the US Government. Miles Feinstein of Paterson, New Jersey represented Joe Giudice. Henry E. Klingeman of Newark, New Jersey represented Teresa Giudice. On August 14, 2013, the two pleaded not guilty in federal court to financial fraud charges.

Joe Guidice stood trial on November 19, 2013, on individual charges that he allegedly used marriage and birth certificates belonging to his brother to fraudulently obtain a driver's license in 2010. Giudice's own driver's license had been suspended following a DUI arrest on January 13, 2010. After he was convicted, Joe's license was suspended for 12 months, and he was sentenced to 20 days of community service. Because he used the same defence attorney in both trials, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas moved the date of the tax case, involving both Teresa and Joe, from October 8, 2013 to February 24, 2014.

On March 4, 2014, Teresa and Joe entered a guilty plea to 41 counts of fraud, following a deal struck with federal prosecutors. The couple was accused of engaging in bank, mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud, which allegedly saw him net over $5 million over a 10-year period. On October 2, 2014, Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in a federal prison; Joe was sentenced to 41 months, followed by potential deportation to Italy. Together, the couple must pay $414,000 in restitution. Teresa and Joe are allowed to serve their sentences separately, so one parent may stay with their children. Teresa began her sentence first, on January 5, 2015. She surrendered herself to the Federal Correctional Institute in Danbury, Connecticut seven hours early, at 3 am instead of 10 am. According to her attorney, "she was ready." At Danbury, Teresa is known as Inmate No, 65703-050 and is scheduled for a two months' early release, on February 16, 2016.

As of July 2015, Giudice's primary residence in Towaco is in the primary stages of foreclosure, while the couple's summer home in Beach Haven West, New Jersey was foreclosed; the latter was auctioned in a Sheriff's sale on August 18, 2015 and received no bids. The home was bought back by the Giudice's mortgage holder for $100. A week prior to the auction, police were called to the Beach Haven West home after Giudice got into an argument with a neighbour over leaving their daughter, Gia, locked outside the home during a party; no arrests were made.

## Family

* Joe Giudice (Husband, 1999-present)
	+ Gia Giudice (Daughter)
	+ Gabriella Giudice (Daughter)
	+ Milania Giudice (Daughter)
	+ Audriana Giudice (Daughter)
* Joe Gorga (Brother)
	+ Melissa Gorga (Sister-in-Law)
		- Antonia Gorga (Niece)
		- Gino Gorga (Nephew)
		- Joey Gorga (Nephew)
* Kathy Wakile (Cousin)

## Bibliography

* Skinny Italian - 2010
* Fabulicious - 2011
* Fabulicious: Fast & Fit - 2012

## Quotes

1. "People make fun of Jersey girls, but I think they're just jealous."
2. "I'm a Jersey girl, no one can knock me down."
3. "When time gets tough, you learn who your REAL friends are."
4. "Haters are gonna hate, but I just love love love!"
5. "You never know how strong you are until it's the only choice you have."

## Gallery

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## Navigational

**Former Main Housewives:** Jacqueline Laurita | Caroline Manzo | Danielle Staub | Kathy Wakile