The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast was not immune to the divorce curse. Only three couples called it quits. But those splits were heavy on the dramatics. Let’s reminisce about the RHONJ divorces that captivated viewers.
Dina Manzo and Tommy Manzo
As you may recall, Dina Manzo and her sister, Caroline Manzo, were married to two brothers. But Dina’s husband, Tommy Manzo, never actually appeared on camera.
Dina was a cast member in Season 1 of the series before she departed early in the second season. In February 2013, Dina confirmed that the couple had separated.
When Dina announced that she was returning for Season 6, most people assumed it was because she needed the money. Tommy allegedly had cheated on Dina repeatedly. And he was reportedly reluctant to end their marriage.
Then Dina went through two traumatic events. In 2015, Dina’s new boyfriend, David Cantin, was assaulted in a parking lot. And in 2017, David and Dina were terrorized in a brutal home invasion. The couple was bound, beaten, and robbed of jewelry and cash.
Tommy allegedly hired a hitman to attack his ex-wife’s man. In return, the hitman received a discount on his wedding at The Brownstone. Yikes! Then Tommy was also accused of being involved in the home invasion.
When her sister, Caroline, sided with Tommy, it was the last straw for Dina. The shaky relationship between the sisters ended years ago.
A Time for Happiness
But after enduring this nightmarish situation with her ex, Dina found true love. In 2019, Dina shared a photo from her wedding with David. “The bride wore a dress from her closet, an orange blossom in her hair, and carried a Calla Lily from her Malibu Garden,” Dina posted on Instagram. “A simple, meaningful wedding on a day chosen by the stars. And so it is.”
And she added the wedding date as June 28, 2017. Dina managed to keep her wedding secret for two years. After the painful circus that she has lived through, she deserves to be happy.
Danielle Staub and Marty Caffrey
Danielle Staub and Marty Caffrey got married during Season 9 of RHONJ. Melissa Gorga, Teresa Giudice, and Margaret Josephs were all members of her bridal party. That was a wild concept. And Danielle was a bridezilla like no other.
The couple wed in the Bahamas in May of 2018. But within two months, the relationship was already on the rocks. Shortly after announcing their split, they filed restraining orders against each other. Then they dropped the orders.
When the couple finalized their divorce in February 2019, Danielle marked the occasion by giving Marty the middle finger. So classy!
Danielle wasn’t lonely for long. One week after her divorce was finalized, she was engaged again. Oliver Maier was unlucky #21. The romance quickly fell apart once Danielle tried to drag him to the altar.
Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice
Teresa is the “OG” of RHONJ. Even back in Season 1, Teresa’s marriage to Joe Giudice seemed volatile. The couple shares four daughters.
But the Giudices were plagued by financial problems. In October 2009, they filed for bankruptcy. After bankruptcy fraud charges were filed, both Joe and Teresa took a plea deal. They both plead guilty to three counts of bankruptcy fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
Teresa served 11 months in prison. Once she returned home, Joe reported for his 41-month prison sentence. After his sentence was finished, Joe was deported to Italy.
While Joe was in prison, Teresa’s beloved mother, Antonia Gorga, passed away. Teresa was honest about how angry she was at Joe. She resented him because she spent time in prison instead of with her family. She even proclaimed that if Joe was deported, it would be the end of the marriage.
There were other issues in the marriage, too, including rumors that Joe was unfaithful. During an unforgettable hot mic moment in Napa, Joe took an alleged “work call.”
“Here comes my bitch wife. She’s such a c**t,” he told the caller. He informed Teresa he was speaking to a worker. It certainly seemed suspicious. And Joe was also reportedly verbally nasty to Teresa.
She had no interest in relocating to Italy or having a long-distance marriage. She pulled the plug, and the couple divorced in 2020.
Teresa Marries Again
Joe relocated to the Bahamas to be closer to their daughters. Meanwhile, Teresa started dating Luis Ruelas. Luis had his own baggage, which concerned Teresa’s co-stars. But she was in her love bubble.
The duo got married on August 6, 2022. Sadly, Teresa’s brother, Joe Gorga, and his wife, Melissa, did not attend. At the Season 13 reunion, Teresa cut ties with the Gorgas after years of family discord.
There were already rumors that Luis and Teresa are having marital problems. Stay tuned to see how this marriage turns out.
While there were only three Real Housewives of New Jersey divorces, they were memorable. All involved heavy issues, including hitmen, prison time, and super-fast rebounds. Jersey always delivers.
TELL US – WHICH DIVORCE ON THIS LIST SURPRISED YOU THE MOST? ARE YOU ROOTING FOR LUIS AND TERESA?
