Teresa Giudice

Teresa Giudice
Born	Teresa Gorga (1972-05-18) May 18, 1972 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S
Residence	Montville, New Jersey, U.S
Alma mater	Berkeley College
Occupation	Television personality author entrepreneur
Years active	2009–present
Television	The Real Housewives of New Jersey The Celebrity Apprentice 5 Teresa Checks In
Spouse(s)	Joe Giudice (m. 2000)
Children	4
Relatives	Melissa Gorga (sister-in-law) Kathy Wakile (cousin)
Website	www.teresagiudice.com

Teresa Giudice /ˈdʒuːdaɪs/ (née Gorga; born May 18, 1972) is an American reality television cast-member, known for starring in The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Besides appearing on the show, Giudice has written three New York Times bestseller cookbooks and was featured on Donald Trump's The Celebrity Apprentice. On December 23, 2015,she was released from federal prison after serving an 11 month sentence for fraud, while her husband and four daughters resided in the Towaco section of Montville, New Jersey. She is known for her extravagant lifestyle and highly publicized financial and legal troubles leading up to her prison sentence. Her husband Joe is scheduled to begin his 41-month fraud sentence in March 2016.

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

Early life

Teresa Giudice was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the daughter of Italian immigrants. Born Teresa Gorga, she was raised in the Catholic faith. She studied fashion marketing at Berkeley College.

Career

Giudice worked for Macy's as an associate buyer. She has been a cast member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey since season 1, and since starring on Housewives, Giudice 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. Giudice 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 (also known as The Apprentice 12), and ultimately raised $70,000 for her selected charity, The NephCure Foundation. She was fired in episode 12 (airdate May 6, 2012), after placing fifth.

She is a committee member for Project Ladybug, a charity founded by fellow RHONJ co-star Dina Manzo.

Personal life

Teresa is married to Joe Giudice, who has worked as a construction builder and restaurant owner in New Jersey. They have four daughters together: Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana.

Legal problems

In October 2009, the Giudices filed for bankruptcy. An auction of furniture from their Towaco, NJ home was initially scheduled for August 22, 2010 but was postponed and then canceled 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 Giudice 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 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 defense 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 them 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 also 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 Institution in Danbury, Connecticut seven hours early, at 3 am instead of 10 am. According to her attorney, James J. Leonard Jr.Esq., "she was ready." At Danbury, Teresa is known as Inmate No. 65703-050 and is scheduled for a two months' early release, on 16 February 2016. Giudice was released on December 23, 2015.

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 in Stafford Township, 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 Joe Giudice got into an argument with a neighbor over leaving their daughter, Gia, locked outside the home during a party; no arrests were made.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009–present	The Real Housewives of New Jersey	Herself	114 episodes
2012	Celebrity Apprentice	Herself	Placed 5th
2015	Teresa Checks In	Herself	3 episodes

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External links

• Teresa Giudice at the Internet Movie Database
• Teresa Giudice on Twitter
• Youthful 8 - Milania Hair Care
• Theresa's Home until February 2016 In Danbury, Connecticut