Joe Giudice has apologized to his wife Teresa Giudice and admitted he has a new drinking problem as a result of their stressful criminal case and fraud sentencing.
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During the second part of the couple's interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars opened up about the new troubles they face now that they'll both serve lengthy amounts of time in jail. Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in jail, while Joe got 41 months behind bars.
"How does it feel knowing your actions resulted in your wife being a convicted felon and facing prison?" Cohen asked Joe, according to Us Weekly.
"I don't think he meant to hurt me in any way," Teresa chimed in first.
"Obviously doesn't feel good," a remorseful Joe explained in the interview which taped the day after their October 2 hearing. "But what am I going to do? I did everything I could to get her out of it."
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Joe then reportedly looked at his wife and said, "I want to apologize that I got you into this mess. I don't even know what else to say. If I could take it all back, I would but I just can't and I'm sorry you have to go through all this. I tried everything I could to convince the judge not [to convict you] but I have no control over that."
In addition to apologizing for letting people down, Teresa allegedly accepted her husband's apology and kissed him, telling him, "I love you... you just have to be there for our [four] daughters."
Teresa, who previously appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice's fifth season, reportedly had career ventures such as cookbooks and a line of hair products in the works, but she told Cohen their charges -- which stem from a 41-count federal fraud indictment -- "have killed everything."
As for Joe, he said he will likely get back "in the rentals and into building as well. I'm just going to make sure everything is crossed and is dotted the right way... I just have to really look at everything," according to Us.
Teresa also received two years probation. She will reportedly begin her jail sentence on January 5 so she can enjoy the holidays with her family and Joe will serve his jail time afterwards. After completing his sentence, Joe will face deportation, as he's not an American citizen.
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"I'm going to worry about that when the time comes," Joe said on Watch What Happens Live, "[It's] not such a bad thing, living in Italy."
Joe may not think leaving the states is a big deal, but he acknowledged he certainly has a bit of a drinking issue.
"Before we started The Real Housewives stuff, I think I used to drink only on the weekends. Now I drink every day... just wine [though], I don't drink anything else really," Joe reportedly told Cohen, adding that he can "easily" slug back four bottles of wine with a friend or "sometimes" two by himself.
"I might have a little problem. I don't have a problem to where all I think about is drinking, but at night, I'll have a few [drinks after the kids are in bed]."
Joe will apparently take care of the couple's four children -- Audriana, 5, Milania, 8, Gabriella, 9, and Gia, 13 -- when Teresa goes to prison.
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Joe and Teresa both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as well as three counts of bankruptcy as part of their March plea deal. Joe also pleaded guilty to failure to file tax returns on nearly $1 million worth of his income.
In addition, the couple admitted to claiming false salaries between the years of 2001 and 2008 and submitting phony loan applications to get some $5 million in mortgages and construction loans.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski