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Teresa Giudice has paid $200,000 towards the restitution she and husband Joe have been ordered to pay for their bankruptcy and mortgage fraud crimes. As Gossip Cop reported, the couple was sentenced to prison earlier this month.
Their punishment also included $414,888 in restitution. The reality stars were expected to make the $200,000 payment before or at the sentencing but did not have the cash on hand, angering the judge.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the payment has since been made. A Giudice attorney says it was paid on October 6 — four days after the sentencing.
A lawyer for the Giudices previously said in court that the money would come from a $50,000 loan from a friend and a $150,000 contract advance. It is not clear when, or how, the Giudices will pay the rest of their restitution.
Reports last week wrongly claimed Teresa was being paid $325,000 for her and Joe’s exclusive “Watch What Happens Live” interview, and falsely alleged she was using the $325,000 for the restitution. Gossip Cop reported that the amount was incorrect, as Bravo exclusively confirmed to us.
Joe is expected back in court on Wednesday for driver’s license fraud. The case stems from a 2011 arrest in which he was accused of using his brother’s identifying documents to obtain a license in 2010 after his own was suspended in the wake of a drunk driving conviction.
The charge carries up to 10 years in prison, but a plea deal could allow him to serve the time concurrently with the 41-month sentence he’s already been handed. If the plea deal is not accepted by any of the parties involved, Joe would likely go to trial.
Gossip Cop will have updates.
