Teresa Giudice and her husband, Joe Giudice, appeared at a Newark, N.J. federal court Thursday morning (Oct. 2) to be sentenced for fraud charges. The stars of Bravo's "Real Housewives of New Jersey" walked hand-in-hand past photographers and media as they made their way inside.
A source told E! News that Teresa and Joe "both looked serious and sad." The site reported that the couple arrived to the courthouse around 9 a.m. ET and met with Judge Esther Salas at 10 a.m. Nearly three hours later, Joe was sentenced to 41 months - almost three and a half years - in prison.
Teresa is still awaiting her sentencing. According to TMZ, Joe also has to pay $414,588.90 in restitution and enter an alcohol treatment program in prison. He could also be deported after serving his time. Before Salas gave Joe his sentencing, she ripped the couple for hiding information about their finances. TMZ reports that both Joe and Teresa broke down into tears.
Salas said if she does sentence Teresa to prison, she will stagger their time so they are not both behind bars at the same time. The couple are parents to Gia, 13, Gabriella, 9, Milania, 9, and Audriana, 5. Earlier Thursday, news broke that Teresa was planning on begging for mercy during her hearing.
A source told TMZ that she filed legal documents asking for no jail time. Teresa also asked that the judge not be influenced by her role on the Bravo reality show because "the image is little more than a carefully crafted fiction, engineered by Bravo TV through scripted lines and clever editing."
Joe and Teresa's legal problems surfaced in July 2013 when they were charged in a 39-count indictment that included bank fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, making false statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud. They pleaded guilty in March 2014.
Update: According to E! News, Teresa Giudice will serve 15 months - a little over a year - in prison.
"I fully take responsibility for my actions," she read a letter from court, according to the New Jersey Record. "I deeply love my family... My four daughters are my life."
