Teresa Giudice: Stars Call for Prayer for 'Housewives' Star After Prison Sentence
Teresa and Joe Giudice were sentenced to a combined four-plus years in federal prison Thursday and stars took to Twitter shortly after to call for prayers for the couple.
Teresa, who shares four daughters with her husband, Gia, 13, Gabriella, 9, Milania, 8, and Audriana, 4, was sentenced to 15 months behind bars, with a restitution payment of $414,588. Joe was sentenced to serve 41 months, reported the New York Daily News.
Earlier this year, the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" stars pleaded guilty to mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud. Joe also pleaded guilty to tax fraud.
Fans and friends, including fellow Bravo TV stars Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson, led the way in calling for prayer for the Giudice family on social networking site Twitter.
"@Teresa_Giudice prayers to you and your family," Judge tweeted Thursday.
"So much sadness lately. #prayers4brooks, #prayers4guidices," Gunvalson wrote–also referring to her ex-boyfriend Brooks Ayers' cancer ordeal.
U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas will allow them to serve their prison sentences at different times to ensure that their children are cared for by at least one parent at all times.
Teresa, 42, will begin serving her 15 month sentence on Jan. 5 and Joe, 43, will serve his sentence afterwards. They are reportedly scheduled to do their first TV interview with Bravo TV host Andy Cohen.
In recent months Teresa was filmed praying about her legal woes during an episode of the hit reality TV show. She read a scripture (Psalm 13:1) from the Bible.
"How long, oh Lord will you forget me? How long will You hide Your face? How long must I bear grief in my soul, the sorrow in my heart, day and night? Let my heart rejoice in Your saving help in the face of Christ our Lord. Amen," she read.
Despite the legal woes, Teresa has vowed to stand by her husband, who also faces deportation back to Italy.
"When you get married. The vows are 'through good times and bad times. Through sickness and health. Till death do you part.' We're going though rough times. And we're gonna make it through," she said before reading The Lord's Prayer. "Please God I need protection right now. Joe and I, and the girls. Please protect our family. Amen."