Teresa and Joe Giudice had been preparing for their Oct. 2 court date for months, and while both may have been emotional in court, Teresa's crisis manager Wendy Feldman tells Us Weekly exclusively her sentencing "was not unexpected."
"The sentence Judge Salas handed down today was not unexpected," Feldman told Us in a statement referring to Teresa's 15 month sentence. "The fact is that my client Teresa Giudice accepted a plea agreement that included a possible 27 months in Federal Prison."
"Sadly, our justice system has yet to find a balance between punishment and rehabilitation," the statement continued. "It's now going to be Teresa's mission to make certain life changes and she will do so. Having said that, the lesson here as the judge also acknowledged, is to not let certain choices define one's future."
As previously reported, Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in prison and will serve her time beginning Jan. 5. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star's husband, Joe, was sentenced to 41 months and will serve his time following his wife's.
The couple pleaded guilty this past March on several counts of bank and mail fraud. In July, they were indicted on a total of 41 counts.
An emotional Teresa told the court prior to her sentencing: "I’m so scared. I’m blessed, but today I am also humbled. I fully take responsibility for my actions. This is not how I was raised."
