'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Cast Member Teresa Giudice Worried Sister-in-Law Could Get Custody of Kids
Teresea Giudice and her husband Joe are facing up to 50 years in prison after being indicted on federal charges for tax evasion and fraud, but the one option keeping her up at night is the possibility that her children would be left in the care of her sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga and her husband Joe.
"Teresa would rather die than let the kids go to Melissa," a source told Radar Online. "Teresa has been telling people that she isn't going to go to jail because she has four kids, and that no judge would take a mother away from her children."
Reports had previously speculated that Teresa's brother and sister-in-law might end up taking custody of her children if she is sentenced to prison.
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"Teresa doesn't even know what she would do if she has to leave her kids without a parent, but she knows she doesn't want her family to have them," the source added. "She is terrified about what could happen to her family."
The reality couple has been accused of exaggerating income when applying for loans and not disclosing full income amounts when applying for bankruptcy after they appeared on the "Real Housewives" reality show in 2009. Both husband, 43, and wife, 41, face a 39-count indictment according to reports.
In 2009 the couple filed for bankruptcy claiming over $10 million worth of debt. In an interview just after the filing, Teresa Giudice said on "The View" that she and her husband had run into trouble because tenants living in homes rented out by her husband had failed to pay rent in a downturned economy. The indictment includes conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud.
In addition, Joe Giudice also faces penalties for failing to file tax returns from 2004-2008, making false claims about employments status and salaries. During that time he is alleged to have earned nearly $1 million.
