Crime & Safety

'Real Housewives' Stars to Plead Guilty to Fraud, Report Says

Teresa and Joe Giudice could each face jail time under plea agreement.

A sudden twist in the legal saga of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" stars Joe and Teresa Giudice could have the Montville couple pleading guilty on Tuesday to fraud charges with each facing prison time.

The Giudices, indicted on 41 counts of fraud, have reached an agreement with prosecutors and will plead guilty to several mortgage and fraud charges when they appear Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark, a source told The Record.

Teresa Giudice would face less than two years in prison and her husband would receive at least three years, the source said.

Miles Feinstein, who represents Joe Giudice, would not comment if a plea agreement was reached, but called an In Touch Weekly report erroneous, according to The Record.

In Touch reported earlier on Friday that Joe Giudice would serve at least five years in federal prison and Teresa Giudice would receive up to five years probation under the plea agreement. The couple would also be responsible for $11 million in restitution and Joe Giudice, an Italian citizen, would not be deported, according to In Touch's report.

The Giudices have publicly proclaimed their innocence and filed a request in January to have their cases tried separately, a motion prosecutors sternly opposed.

Joe Giudice also has other trials scheduled this year for charges alleging he fraudulently obtained a state driver’s license from the Paterson branch of the Motor Vehicle Office in June 2010 using his brother’s ID. 

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