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." 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 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. According to her attorney, James J. Leonard Jr.Esq., "she was ready." At Danbury, Teresa is known as Inmate No. 65703-050 and was 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 residence was bought back by the Giudice's mortgage holder for $100.

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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Bibliography

• Giudice, Teresa & MacLean, Heather MacLean & Fink, Ben (Photographer) (April 16, 2010). Skinny Italian: Eat It and Enjoy It? Live La Bella Vita and Look Great, Too! (paperback ed.). Hachette Books. ASIN B003HG5RAM. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)

• Giudice, Teresa & MacLean, Heather (May 3, 2011). Fabulicious!: Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook (paperback ed.). Running Press. ISBN 978-0762442393.

• Giudice, Teresa & MacLean (May 8, 2012). Fabulicious!: Fast & Fit: Teresa's Low-Fat, Super-Easy Italian Recipes (Original ed.). Running Press. ISBN 978-0762445448.

• Giudice, Teresa & MacLean (May 7, 2013). Fabulicious!: On the Grill: Teresa's Smoking Hot Backyard Recipes (paperback ed.). Running Press. ISBN 978-0762449774.

• Giudice, Teresa & Baker, K.C. (February 9, 2016). Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again (Hardcover ed.). Teresa Giudice (1000). ASIN B01FMW5SF2.

Charities

Teresa Giudice supports the following charitable causes: Children, Disabilities.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]