Court Documents Reveal RHONJ Star Teresa Giudice’s Husband Luis Ruelas Took a $1 Million Loan

Teresa Giudice from The Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHONJ) is no stranger to controversy. Owing to her tumultuous personal life, financial woes, and razor-sharp tongue, she has been one of the most prominent figures on the show ever since it premiered in 2009. The reality TV star has been in the spotlight numerous times for all the wrong reasons, so it’s not really a surprise to anyone that she’s the talk of the town yet again! Recently, it was revealed that Giudice’s husband, Luis Ruelas, took a $1 million loan against their $3.4 million Montville home. Adding fuel to the fire, this news comes amid speculation about the couple’s ongoing financial crisis.

RHONJ is a cult classic reality TV show that debuted on May 12, 2009. The show currently comprises 14 seasons and revolves around the scandalous lives of a group of women residing in New Jersey. It is headlined by its leading ladies: Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs, Jennifer Aydin, Danielle Cabral, and Rachel Fuda. Bursting at the seams with drama and high-stakes backstabbing, RHONJ consistently delivers reality TV gold. Over the years, the show’s popularity has led to the release of spinoffs Manzo’d with Children and Teresa Checks In. Speaking of Teresa Giudice, let’s look at how her husband has recently dragged her into messy headlines.   

News of The Loan Comes Amid The Couple’s Ongoing Financial Struggles

The couple wed in 2022 and have been said to be basking in the honeymoon phase ever since. However, the RHONJ Season 14 trailer hinted at the duo’s looming financial struggles, with more revelations expected to come to light in the ongoing season. Giudice and Ruelas bought their seven-bedroom Montville mansion in 2021 through an LLC, with Ruelas as the sole member. Notably, no loan was taken on the property at the time of purchase, and there is a lack of public information on its mortgage details.

Giudice has previously been convicted of multiple federal frauds, including bank, mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud, and is still paying off charges to the federal government as of October 2023. Ruelas took the $1 million loan on March 25, 2024, as revealed by the court documents. The documents further disclosed that Ruela had offered his services as an independent contractor to initiate a live-streaming app named Vinivia through his firm, Digital Media Solutions. The firm was previously subject to scrutiny and had been slapped with a lawsuit for alleged harassment. The company’s issues have contributed to Ruelas’ financial struggle following his job loss. Despite all the challenges, the duo maintains a united front, refuting any claims of troubles in paradise. 

Margaret Joseph Accuses Luis Ruelas For Blowing All of Teresa’s Money

Margaret Joseph joined the cast of RHONJ in Season 8 and has since shared a friend-to-enemies dynamic with Giudice. Most recently, in the RHONJ Season 14 trailer, Joseph was heard accusing Ruelas by saying, “Louie pissed her money away,” indicating that Giudice’s husband has been irresponsible with her finances. This statement only adds fuel to the fire amid the prevalent speculation surrounding the couple’s monetary situation. 

Giudice addressed these allegations on Tori Spelling’s podcast, misSPELLING. She denied these claims and called out Joseph for concocting a false narrative. The reality TV star also clarified rumors when she sat down with Billy Bush on Extra, stating, “No, he doesn’t touch my money. That’s another lie that Margaret is putting out there… My money is my money, and Luis’ money is my money. He doesn’t even know how much I make.”

Teresa and Her Ex-Husband Joe Were Convicted For Fraud In the Past

This isn’t the first time a spouse of Giudice has landed her in financial jeopardy. In 2014, Teresa Giudice and her ex-husband, Joe Giudice, were convicted of fraud amid other legal struggles. The duo was accused of exaggerating their income while applying for loans before RHONJ debuted and even hid their improved fortunes in their bankruptcy filing. The reality TV star had to serve a 15-month prison sentence, along with probation and fines but managed to cut her sentence short to 11 months. 

In June 2023, Giudice’s attorney emphasized that she has been diligently addressing her past balance. He stated that Giudice is well aware of her tax obligations and consistently makes significant monthly payments towards her outstanding liabilities, with the intention of continuing until they are fully resolved:

“Ms. Giudice has been aware of her tax obligations for years and makes significant timely monthly payments towards her outstanding tax liabilities and will continue to do so until those liabilities do not exist.”

However, Joe Guidice faced a more severe fate. He was sentenced to 41 months, starting in March 2016, after turning himself in at the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix for fraud. To make matters worse, he was deported back to Italy after serving his term, as he was a non-U.S. citizen. This put a strain on their relationship and inevitably led to the couple filing for divorce in December 2019, to end their marriage of 20 years. The duo share four daughters: Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana. Check out why Melissa Gorga recently rejected Teresa Giudice’s housewarming gift.

	The Real Housewives of New Jersey
IMDb Rating	4.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating	60%
Where to Watch/Buy	Bravo, Peacock, Hulu, Amazon Prime
Director	Various
Producer	Amy Kohn, Rebecca Toth Diefenbach, Lucilla D’Agostino, Andy Cohen
Main Cast	Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs, Jennifer Aydin, Jackie Goldschneider
Release Date	May 12, 2009
Number of Seasons	13
Genre	Reality TV
Synopsis	“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” follows the lives of several women residing in New Jersey. The series showcases their personal and professional lives, highlighting their relationships, family dynamics, and various dramatic interactions.”

Watch RHONJ on Peacock