The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice has put on a united front with her husband Joe Giudice ever since their legal battle began, but she has reportedly resigned herself to a separation if Joe gets deported back to Italy following his prison release.
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According to multiple sources, Teresa, 46, told her The Real Housewives of New Jersey co-stars at the Season 9 reunion taping earlier this month that if Joe is forced to leave the United States, "we'd go our separate ways," according to People.
Teresa reportedly told the reunion special's host, Andy Cohen, that she had already discussed the possibility of staying in America sans Joe with their four daughters -- Gia, 18, Gabriella, 14, Milania, 12, and Audriana, 9.
"Teresa told Andy that if Joe gets deported, she's not going," a source on the scene told People. "She said that she and Joe had talked about it over the phone, and that he understood."
A second insider told the magazine when Andy pressed for additional details about what would happen to Teresa's marriage if Joe gets deported, the reality TV star confirmed they would split.
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"She didn't really express any sadness about that," said the insider. "She just focused instead on the girls. It was very matter of fact."
Teresa is singing a different tune because when she appeared on the Bravo series' eighth reunion special last year, she said she would consider moving overseas to support and stay with her husband in light of his potential deportation.
"I mean, Italy's a beautiful place to live," Teresa admitted at the time. "I wouldn't mind, you know, I'm just saying. Listen, whatever God has planned for me, that's what's going to happen. I will embrace it the best I can."
Joe began serving his 41-month prison sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey in March 2016, shortly after Teresa was released from prison in December 2015 after spending 11 months behind bars.
The couple had been sentenced to jail time in October 2014 after pleading guilty to three counts of bankruptcy fraud as well as conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as part of a plea deal to resolve their 41-count federal fraud indictment.
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Joe also reportedly admitted he did not pay approximately $200,000 in taxes.
In October, Immigration Judge John Ellington ordered Joe -- who moved to the United States at the age of 1 but never became a U.S. citizen -- to leave America and return to his native Italy once he's released from prison, Entertainment Tonight reported.
Joe was "very upset" about the ruling, according to Teresa, and he appealed it in November 2018.
Teresa has since remained fairly optimistic Joe will come home to his family, but his fate is uncertain.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey's ninth-season reunion special will air on Bravo in February.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski