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Teresa Giudice appeared on Dax Holt and Adam Glyn‘s podcast last week, where she opened up about her decision to strike a deal with photographers for her first post-prison pics.
While also looking back at her time behind bars, insisting she’s no criminal, and offering an update on her relationship with ex-husband Joe Giudice, 51, who she rang in the new year with in the Bahamas weeks ago, the Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member, 51, reflected on the one time she reached out to the paparazzi.
“The only time [was] when I got out of jail because they wanted the first photo,” Teresa revealed on the January 17 episode of Hollywood Raw. “I was like if they’re going to get it anyway, I might as well make some money off of it… I think they contacted my lawyer at the time [to set up a deal].”
According to Teresa, she spent a lot of time cooking during the 11 months she served in prison.
“I have to say the food was really good,” she admitted. “And I actually cooked there also ’cause I have four cookbooks … I cooked dinner for everyone… Whatever was on the menu that day. I think I made chicken stir-fry one time… What was my favorite was when I first got there, they had banana nut muffins every morning. It was so good.”
“It was a camp setting. There were maybe like 200 (people)… My roommate was a politician. I was in there with doctors, lawyers, yeah I met a lot of cool people in there,” she continued. “I tell my daughter it’s like being at college. The only thing is I just couldn’t leave, I had to stay there.”
Although she and Joe pleaded guilty to fraud in 2014, Teresa insisted she’s “not a criminal.”
“I know I did not intentionally commit a crime. I signed two mortgage documents in front of lawyers. I bought two homes that my husband wanted me to use my credit, which I had over 800 so I used my credit to buy these two homes,” she explained. “And then, what do you know, 10 years later, I end up going to prison because I’m on TV and they want to make an example out of me ’cause I signed for those two homes that I bought. [Joe] flipped them.”
Years after their legal drama resulted in a divorce and Joe’s deportation, Teresa has found herself on good terms with Joe and actually spent time with him, their daughters, and her new husband, Luis Ruelas, 48, over the new year in the Bahamas, where he currently resides.
“It was great. The kids were so happy. It was my husband’s doing… It made my daughters so happy. So it was really nice,” Teresa revealed.
That said, despite the fact that they are in a good place, Teresa said she and Joe “don’t talk that much.”
“We only talk when I need help with this, talk to this one like that… I have to say Luis and him talk more than Joe and I talk… [Luis] has a good relationship with him, which is nice,” she shared.
Also on the podcast, Teresa confirmed she’s forgiven her former spouse for their legal hardships.
“It took a long time for me to forgive him ’cause then I lost my parents. I came home and lost my mom [eight] months later. I was so devastated cause my parents are my life… [But] I finally forgave him ’cause I know that this had to happen in order for me to not have been with Joe anymore, I felt that had to happen in order for me to meet my soulmate, which is Luis,” she reasoned.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 14 is expected to premiere on Bravo sometime in the coming months.
