Newark, N.J. The "Real Housewives of New Jersey" stars Teresa Guidice, 42, and husband Joe Guidice,42, will serve 15 months and 41 months in prison respectively, for fraud, following their guilty plea, in March 2014. This included being accused of engaging in bank, mail and wire bankruptcy fraud. This was despite Teresa's emotional plea to Judge Esther Salas that she gets spared from being put to jail for the sake of her 4 daughters.
Before hearing the court's sentence, North Jersey reports that Teresa even read an emotional letter admitting her full responsibility for her actions. She even confessed that she is scared, and that she will make things right no matter what it takes.
The Bravo stars' legal troubles began in 2009, when the couple decided to file for bankruptcy. They were supposed to have some of their furniture auctioned off in order to raise funds. The event did not push through and it did not please the courts. They were then charged on several accounts of fraud in July 2013, including Joe's failure to file a tax return from 2004-2008. The Associated Press was told by Teresa's attorney that she would not plead guilty, and did so, in August 2013.
The couple, however, clearly decided to change course in order to get a more favorable sentence for Teresa, who needs to be with their four children Gia (b. 2001), Gabriella (b. 2003), Milania (b. 2003), and Audriana (b. 2009).
Joe would have to face 37 to 46 months in jail for the crimes he was accused of, and would have to pay a $414,588 restitution fee which is due immediately. Teresa, however, would have to face 21 to 27 months for her complicit but lesser involvement, under federal sentencing guidelines.
Besides appearing on "RHONJ", Teresa has written three New York Times bestseller cookbooks and has appeared on Donald Trump's "The Celebrity Apprentice." As of 2014, she is the second highest-paid star of The Real Housewives franchise, and has been called the franchise's breakout star, along with Nene Leakes. She currently lives in Towaco, New Jersey with Joe Guidice and their four daughters.
