Why Teresa Giudice Should Leave Joe

Teresa Giudice was recently released from federal prison, where she had been serving 11 months out due to various fraud charges. As her husband, Joe, prepares for his 41-month prison stay for similar crimes, we're revealing why now might be the perfect time for this Real Housewives of New Jersey star to completely start over. By that, we mean kick her hubby to the curb once and for all.

The most obvious reason Teresa should leave Joe stems from the fact that she just spent 11 long months in prison. The story of how she got to jail is rather complicated, but here's the gist of it. Four years after filing for bankruptcy in 2009, the Giudices were indicted on 39 (which eventually became 41) charges that included everything from bank fraud to bankruptcy fraud. Teresa eventually admitted to four fraud counts and got a 15-month-long sentence that was later reduced. She officially left prison on December 23, 2015. Joe's 41-month sentence starts just three months after Teresa was released. Who was actually to blame for their financial mess remains a mystery. Joe ultimately told NBC News that it was pretty much all his fault. If that's true, Teresa's next court appearance should be for finalizing her divorce papers.

What's more sexy than a man who gets indicted on money fraud charges? A man who is also being accused of fraudulently obtaining a driver's license. In 2011, Joe was accused of taking his brother's identity and using it to get a new driver's license in New Jersey, according to US Weekly. What happened to Joe's license, you ask? He supposedly got his license suspended after being convicted of a DWI. Joe subsequently spent 10 days in jail for driving with said suspended license, which makes this whole story all the more ridiculous. Joe ultimately accepted a plea deal in the case, for which he will serve 18 months in prison concurrently with his federal sentence. That sounds like a good time to leave.

One of the craziest twists in the Giudice's legal drama came when it was discovered that Joe, who was born in Italy, is not actually a citizen of the United States. Which means he will likely face deportation when he is ultimately released from prison. The thought of Joe getting deported may sound like a crazy idea at first glance. However, the threat is actually very legitimate. Even the judge in Joe's driver's license fraud case predicted doom, telling the 43-year-old there is "virtual certainty that you will be deported because of either this charge or the federal charge" (via US Weekly). What does that mean for Teresa and her four daughters? Joe said in a 2015 interview with Bravo that they'd go with him, which obviously makes sense on first glance. But given the drama the family has been through already, would uprooting everyone to Italy really be a wise idea? It would certainly be hard on the daughters, as the oldest is barely 15. The whole thing would just turn into a new reality TV show, anyway. Which is the last thing America and Italy need.

Arguably the lowest point of the Giudice's financial scandal came in May 2015, when Joe was accused of cheating on Teresa with another woman while she was incarcerated. According to Radar, Joe was spotted out at dinner with a 27-year-old strip club bartender and two other people at a restaurant in Newark. Joe supposedly visited the woman's house of employment, the Breathless Gentlemen's Club, on numerous occasions. Joe and Teresa have adamantly denied the reports. Speaking with NBC News, Joe revealed, "I don't date anybody, I don't go on dates and none of that is true. That person just happened to be out one night with a friend of mine that knew her and they came and sat at the table. And somehow pictures got taken, and that's how that 'date' came about." Either way, gross if the story's true; eye roll if it's not.

The Giudices have a long and complicated history with Teresa's brother and his wife, Joe and Melissa Gorga. Sadly, Teresa's incarceration appears to have further stirred the pot of hate between family members. During an interview with Bravo, Joe Gorga blamed Joe Giudice for sending Teresa to jail. Joe Giudice later put the blame back on his brother-in-law, claiming that he added gasoline to an already-lit fire by talking smack on his family over the years. The unfortunate blame game solved nothing in the end. The only thing it did prove was that a reconciliation between the Gorga siblings probably won't happen if Teresa stays married.

Certainly, the Giudices have gone through their fair share of headaches and drama over the years, which probably made their skin thick enough to handle just about anything. At the same time, they've been dragged through so much mud that it's pretty hard to imagine them ever fully recovering from their legal woes. As Joe will likely face deportation, they could be completely exhausted by the time he actually makes it out of prison. If Joe and Teresa really love each other as much as they claim, we'll hope for the best—but we won't rule out the worst, either.

Now that Teresa is fresh out of prison—and has written her inevitable memoir about the experience—it's time for the Real Housewives star to move on. Staying tied to her husband will inevitably prevent her from doing that. We understand why she wouldn't want to leave Joe; she's already signed up to appear in the next season of Real Housewives, which will inevitably pay her a whole chunk of money. Plus, come on, she's been married to the dude for decades. The short-term incentives are there for the taking — we just wonder what they'll do to her long-term legacy.