Teresa Giudice Opens Up About Legal Troubles: "I'm Not in Denial"

"Basically, you know, I'm being the mom kinda keeping it all together," the Bravo reality star told E! News

By Alyssa Toomey Oct 09, 2013 11:09 PMTags
Watch: Teresa Giudice Suffering From Sleepless Nights

Teresa Giudice is staying strong in the wake of the fraud charges brought against the Real Housewives of New Jersey star and her husband, Joe Giudice.

"Everybody's been supportive," the Bravo reality star told E! News in an interview on Tuesday, Oct. 8. "The thing is, there's nothing that anybody could do that could make things better or worse…The best thing to do is to give Joe and I are privacy and that's it. We're just being positive and moving forward."

And the mother of four has made it her priority to put on a strong front for her family.

"Basically, you know, I'm being the mom kinda keeping it all together," she said. "I'm the rock. I can't fall apart. If I fall apart the rest of the family is going to fall apart. I'm just focusing on my four beautiful daughters, my husband and that's it."

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The reality family has also tried to maintain a sense of normalcy despite their ongoing legal troubles.

"They're very busy, my kids," Teresa continued. "With their activities, soccer, cheerleading competitions, there's a lot going on…My husband's a soccer couch for Gabriella and Milania's team so it's all good."

On July 29, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced in a press release that Teresa and Joe Giudice were charged in a conspiracy to defraud lenders and illegally obtain mortgages and other loans as well as allegedly hiding assets and income during a bankruptcy case.

The 39-count indictment claims the Giudices committed mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, made false statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud. The indictment also charges Joe with failure to file tax returns for tax years 2004 to 2008, during which time he allegedly earned nearly $1 million.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars most recently opened up about their legal drama on Watch What Happens Live, where the twosome maintained their innocence in the matter with Teresa calling the charges "devastating."

"It was great sitting down with Andy [Cohen]," Giudice said of the interview. "I want to answer everyone's questions, but I can't and I've been advised by my attorney that that day will come and it will be in court."

As for the claims that Teresa does not understand the charges brought against the couple?

"Well, there's things like the way they title them, it's strange, it's not vocabulary that I use every single day, so some of the charges I don't understand," she admitted before adding, "But I am learning, you know, I am understanding what they are. Of course, I'm not in denial, I understand everything. My husband and I pleaded not guilty and that day in court will come."

And while the conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Teresa said she's not focusing on the possibility of going to jail.

"I'm not focusing on the negative," she explained. "Like I said, I'm just being positive, you know, just being strong for my family."

The Giudices' trial is set to begin in February.

—Reporting by Vanessa McDonald