RHONJ: What Ultimately Caused Joe Giudice's Divorce With Teresa Giudice (And Where They Stand Today)

Summary Joe Giudice blames RHONJ for his divorce from Teresa, citing the show's exposure and distance as contributing factors.

Teresa moved on and married Luis Ruelas, who has a good relationship with Joe, leading to holiday gatherings together.

Despite past drama, Teresa and Joe now have a fantastic post-divorce relationship, allowing for family togetherness.

Joe Giudice admitted that The Real Housewives of New Jersey was the reason for his divorce from his ex-wife Teresa Giudice. After the two were arrested for fraud and served some jail time, Joe was deported back to Italy, and the couple filed for divorce. Since being deported, though, Joe has left Italy and now lives in the Bahamas, and Teresa has moved on and married Luis Ruelas.

Teresa met Luis in the summer of 2020, shortly before she announced she and Joe were getting a divorce. The RHONJ star has said many times that she believes Luis came into her life at the perfect time following a series of unfortunate events. First, Teresa and Joe did prison time, plus she lost both her parents just a few years apart. Teresa was trying to heal, and then she met Luis. She was head over heels in love with him, and the two got married two years later. Teresa and Luis have created an amazing life, but her ex, Joe, does have some regrets.

Related 20 Best Reality TV Shows Right Now Reality TV is more popular than ever. With so many to choose from, here are some of the best reality TV shows to stream or watch right now.

Joe Giudice Believe's RHONJ Caused Their Divorce

They Got Caught Up In The Fraud

Close

Joe appeared on the Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast in June 2023. Joe shared that he believes he and Teresa would still be married if it wasn't for everything that transpired on RHONJ. "I mean, we had four kids," Joe explained, adding, "Obviously, the separation is what caused the divorce and everything, because what am I supposed to do?"

He believes everything being exposed in their lives on RHONJ led them to get caught up in the fraud and eventually get caught. Joe living in Italy, at the time, and Teresa being in the United States was also a sign their relationship wouldn't work out. Even though they are no longer married, Joe, who now lives in The Bahamas, is happy Teresa moved on and is glad he still has a great relationship with his four daughters.

RHONJ's Joe Giudice Says Teresa's Husband Luis Is "Nice Guy"

Luis Asked Joe For His Blessing

Despite all the drama that has taken place, which is commonplace on any Real Housewives show, Joe does seem to like Teresa's new husband, as he noted, "He really seems like a nice guy. I mean, he's been nice to me. He's called me, he's been a man." Joe even shared that Luis even asked him for his blessing to marry Teresa, which is a very kind thing for someone to do. As far as Real Housewives divorces have gone, despite the arrests and illegal activity, this one has been pretty tame.

Even though Joe and Teresa have had their fair share of drama over the years, it is good to see them in a healthy place. While it is clear that Joe is still dwelling on how everything was uncovered and how it all played out, he does seem to be in a good place. While Teresa has had some ups and downs, she also seems to be very happy now. They had their money issues, but it sometimes seemed like they had other issues as well, like Teresa accusing Joe of cheating on her, which also could have ultimately led to their divorce.

Related RHONJ Season 14: News, Release Date, Cast, Trailer & Everything We Know The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 14 is returning to Bravo in May. Here is what to know about the news, trailer, and who's returning.

Where Do Teresa & Joe Stand In 2024?

Teresa And Joe Have A Great Post-Divorce Relationship

Despite the ups and downs in their marriage and Joe putting them both in jail, Teresa and Joe have a fantastic relationship post-divorce. From the start of their divorce, Teresa wanted to make sure her daughters and Joe would have a relationship, and she did just that. Not only have they all gone as a family (including Luis) to visit Joe in The Bahamas, but they even spent the holidays together.

"When he set it up, the dinner with my ex, he DM'ed him and I didn't even know about it," Teresa said Luis told her. She contiuned, "We were going to the Bahamas to pick up my youngest ... and he DM'ed him."

In December 2023, Teresa, Luis, and her daughters reunited with Joe for a holiday dinner. Also around for the celebration were Teresa's RHONJ castmate Jennifer Aydin and her husband Bill Aydin (via People). This was something Teresa not only wanted for her family but so did Luis. Teresa also revealed in a podcast episode of Whine Down over two years ago, that Luis made a huge effort to meet Joe so Teresa's four daughters (and Joe) can feel comfortable around him. Teresa believes she found a real "gem" in Luis.

In spite of the cheating allegations, as well as Joe and Teresa having a go at each other sometimes in the press, it shows that time can really help heal wounds. It also seems like everyone is better for it, even Joe, who is living in The Bahamas now. He would surely like to see his kids more often since they all still live in the United States. Going forward, RHONJ will likely continue to cover Teresa's life, and how Joe will continue to be a part of her new family with Luis.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.

Sources: Behind The Velvet Rope With David Yontef/Apple Podcasts, People, Whine Down/iHeart Podcasts