What did Teresa Giudice get convicted of? RHONJ's Rachel Fuda labels co-star 'criminal' while defending John
MONTVILLE, NEW JERSEY: During the second episode of 'RHONJ' Season 14, Rachel Fuda wasted no time in divulging further details about her ongoing feud with fellow cast member Teresa Giudice.
The drama escalated as Rachel boldly accused Teresa of spreading rumors alleging that her husband, John Fuda, was involved in illegal drug activities. During a conversation with co-stars Melissa Gorga and Margaret Josephs, Rachel discussed her husband John's controversial past.
"We were talking about something that happened 20 years ago. When John was 17 years old, he was selling pot and got arrested. That's it. That's the story."
Soon after, Melissa chimed in, "Talk about like, dig for anything." "So for her to try to weaponize something that my husband went through as a child is f***ing disgusting coming from a criminal herself," Rachel continued. Talking of Teresa, she went on to say, "She is a grown a** woman that went to prison and came out and has had zero growth. It's pathetic."
In 2014, Teresa and her former spouse Joe Giudice admitted to committing multiple financial crimes, including bank, mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud. Authorities claim these actions allowed them to unlawfully obtain more than $5 million in profits over a decade.
As a result, both Teresa and Joe were handed prison sentences. Their terms were arranged so that at least one parent could remain with their four daughters at all times.
Teresa received a 15-month sentence but was released after serving only 11 months in Danbury, Connecticut. She arrived back at her house just in time for the Christmas holiday, specifically on December 23, 2015. The moment she reunited with her family was recorded by the cameras of the reality TV show 'RHONJ'.
'RHONJ' Season 14 star Teresa Giudice cooked food during her time in prison
During her time at the Federal Correctional Institute in Danbury, Teresa remained dedicated to honing her culinary skills by continuing to cook.
While making an appearance on the Hollywood Raw podcast in early 2024, the Bravo housewife talked about the food offering and said, “I have to say, the food was really good. And I actually cooked there also because I’m a cook.”
Incarceration became the unexpected setting in which Teresa discovered her deep love for practicing yoga. "When I went to jail, that’s when I started doing yoga," she disclosed during an interview with Reality Blurb.
The mother of four added, "I just had to get my mind space clear because I was really upset that I was taken away from my daughters. So that's when I started doing it... And when I came out of jail, I got certified in yoga because I loved it so much."
'RHONJ' Season 14 star Teresa Giudice called Rachel Fuda's husband John Fuda 'drug dealer'
The drama on 'RHONJ' Season 14 kicked off with original cast member Teresa Giudice diving headfirst into a heated feud that would dominate the entire season. Things reached a boiling point at Jennifer Fessler's party in the premiere episode, where Teresa found herself embroiled in a heated exchange with Rachel Fuda and her husband, John Fuda.
The tension escalated further as Teresa brought up controversial allegations about John's criminal history, igniting a feud that would continue to unravel and unfold throughout the season.
During their spat, Teresa told Rachel, “Your husband is the biggest drug dealer in Bergen County." At that point, Rachel came forward and defended her husband by saying, "Teresa, he was not." "So don't come for my husband. Cause I will come for your husband," Teresa added.
Why was 'RHONJ' star Rachel Fuda's husband John Fuda arrested?
John and Rachel joined the cast of 'RHONJ' after spending many years together, building a life and family. They initially met when Rachel was 22 and John was 24. At that time, John was already a single father to his son, Jaiden, and Rachel played a significant role in his upbringing before formally adopting him in 2022.
Their journey as a couple and as parents has been marked by a blend of challenges and triumphs, molding their bond and family dynamic. During their first season in New Jersey, John's former partner and the mother of his son, Brittany Malsch, made numerous accusations against him.
One of the claims that Teresa and Rachel argued about at Jennifer's party was that John was a well-known cocaine dealer when Brittany first met him and that he introduced her to drugs.
In July 2023, John addressed Brittany's allegations in an interview with Page Six. The father of three clarified that, while he was arrested in 2008 for driving under the influence of drugs, he did not serve any extended periods of incarceration as a consequence. “I was never convicted, and charges were dismissed,” John told the media outlet.
New episodes of 'RHONJ' Season 14 drop every Sunday at 8 pm ET only on Bravo.