Heavy/Getty/NBCUniversal Teresa Giudice confronted her brother at the reunion.
New details about a “bomb” that was supposedly dropped at the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” season 13 reunion are being revealed.
On the April 29, 2023, episode of the “Behind the Velvet Rope” podcast, former guest star Kim DePaola claimed that Teresa Giudice revealed that her brother, Joe Gorga, actually had a hand in turning Joe Giudice in to the feds.
About a week or so later, on the May 8, 2023, episode of BTVR, DePaola made another appearance during a chat with podcast guest — and former RHONJ star — Jacqueline Laurita. The two women ended up talking a bit about the Gorgas — and DePaola shared a secret that she says she’s been hanging on to that she also had previously told Laurita.
DePaola claims that she has a good friend who was in Joe Gorga’s office years ago who witnessed Joe Gorga telling his secretary to “call the IRS.” The man, whom DePaola refused to name, supposedly watched as the phone call was made and Joe Giudice’s name was brought up during that call.
According to DePaola, it was Laurita that told Teresa Giudice the information prior to the reunion and Teresa Giudice supposedly said it in front of the cast.
Here’s what you need to know:
Jacqueline Laurita Thought it Was ‘Ridiculous’ That Her & Caroline Manzo Were Accused of Turning Joe Giudice In
RHONJ fans may remember back when Laurita and her sister-in-law Caroline Manzo were on the show just before the Giudices went to prison, there was a lot of chatter about their possible involvement with the feds. In fact, Teresa Giudice actually accused Manzo of turning in her now ex-husband.
“It’s just so sad, I guess, like she’s led that crooked life. Like, I’ve never led that crooked life. I guess she has and who she comes from and where she came from. Right back at her,” Teresa Giudice told Andy Cohen in 2019, according to People magazine.
“How could she predict that? Could she have anything to do with what happened to Joe and I? Is she a rat? With her saying that? Those words would never come out of my mouth, regarding anybody. Maybe [she called the feds],” Teresa Giudice continued.
Looking back at it, however, Laurita calls the claims “ridiculous.” She said that she never brought up the alleged phone call between Joe Gorga and the IRS because it wasn’t a “fact” it was on hearsay.
Teresa Giudice & Joe Gorga Have Been at Odds for Months
Tensions between Teresa Giudice and her brother and his wife have run high for many years, but a rumor that is spread amongst the cast about Melissa Gorga ends up being the final straw that has effectively ended the relationship between the two families — at least for the time being.
Although details about how things went down on the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” finale have been sparse, all signs point to a widening rift between Teresa Giudice and the Gorgas. If DePaola is right and Teresa Giudice does share the information that she recently learned about her brother, that could be the ultimate nail in the coffin.
Of course, months earlier, Joe and Melissa Gorga decided against attending Teresa Giudice and Louis Ruelas’ wedding.
“I wish them well. I swear I wish them all the best,” Teresa Giudice told Us Weekly in February 2023. “I need to heal myself. I’ve been through a lot the past 10 years with them. I’m happy for them. I wish them well and I wish they wished me the same back,” she added.
As far as how things went at the reunion, a source told All About The Real Housewives that Teresa Giudice actually told her brother that he “broke [her] heart” and, at one point, she walked off the stage in tears.
A source also told the outlet that when Andy Cohen asked Teresa Giudice if she believed what Laurita told her about Joe Gorga’s possible involvement with getting Joe Giudice in trouble, she said yes.
“Teresa told Andy that she did because her brother hated Joe and that maybe he didn’t mean to hurt Teresa but he hated Joe and that’s why he did it,” the source explained.
READ NEXT: 2 Former RHONJ Stars Had an Unexpected Reunion & Fans Wonder How Teresa Giudice Will Feel