Teresa Giudice claimed the federal government targeted her after RHONJ producers orchestrated a scene in which she paid $120,000 in cash for furniture.
The 52-year-old reality star made the claim on Wednesday's episode of her podcast Turning The Tables with Teresa Giudice while reminiscing about the early seasons of The Real Housewives Of New Jersey with former costars Jacqueline Laurita, 54, and Kim DePaola, 63.
They discussed the season one furniture buying scene and revealed that producers set it up, according to an article on Thursday by People.
'I even think that's why the government came after us,' Teresa claimed, referencing federal fraud charges brought against her and ex-husband Joe Guidice in a 2013 indictment.
She noted how producers of the Bravo show said it would be 'cool' if the payment was made in cash.
Teresa Giudice, shown earlier this month on Watch What Happens Live, claimed the federal government targeted her after RHONJ producers orchestrated a scene in which she paid $120,000 in cash for furniture
'I had 200 on me. Jacqueline had 300 on her,' Teresa said.
'And then somebody gave you a bunch of whatever mixed in, so it looked like a lot,' Jacqueline added.
Teresa continued: 'When I went to that furniture store, I think it was season one, right? They showed how much my furniture was, like 140K [or] whatever it was. And then I'm here, I am giving out $100 bills, like I was counting out $100 bills. And then they showed the calculator. It looked like I had all that money cash on me.'
Jacqueline explained that producers create a storyline out of their real lives.
'What people don't realize, the show's not scripted, but it is produced," she said. 'There are producers. They move the show along and they make certain things happen [that are] being talked about and moving things along.
'Things that are being talked about outside the show, if it's public, they talk about it in the show. Like, it's a produced show, but it's not scripted. It is your life, but it's also produced,' Jacqueline said.
Teresa and Joe were indicted in July 2013 on federal fraud charges and pleaded guilty in March 2014 as part of a deal with prosecutors.
Joe was sentenced to 41 months in prison and Teresa received a sentence of 15 months in prison.
Joe Giudice and Teresa, shown in July 2009 in New Jersey, pleaded guilty in March 2014 to federal fraud charges
Kim DePaola, shown during the RHONJ Reunion in 2018, was on Teresa's podcast with Jacqueline Laurita
Joe and Teresa are shown during the infamous 2009 season one finale of The Real Housewives Of New Jersey in which she flipped a dinner table while arguing
They were allowed to stagger their sentences to care for their four daughters, Gia, 23, Gabriella, 19, Milania, 18, and Audriana, 14.
Teresa went to prison first and served 11 months of her 15-month sentence and Joe was deported to Italy after finishing his prison sentence.
Joe moved to the Bahamas in 2020 and works in the construction industry.
Teresa married Luis 'Louie' Ruelas, 49, in August 2022 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
