16Real HousewivesStars Who've Been Arrested

Mar. 15, 2025

Luann de Lesseps, Karen Huger, Jen Shah.Photo:Jamie McCarthy/Getty; JC Olivera/Getty; Chris Haston/Bravo via Getty

Jamie McCarthy/Getty; JC Olivera/Getty; Chris Haston/Bravo via Getty

Read on forReal Housewivesstars who’ve been arrested.

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Karen Huger

Karen Huger.Astrid Stawiarz/Getty

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty

Additional charges included negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property.

She was also charged with failure to control vehicle speed on the highway to avoid a collision, driving a vehicle in excess of reasonable and prudent speed on the highway, driving a vehicle on the highway with suspended registration, and failure to notify administration of change of address within 30 days.

On Dec. 18, a juryfound Huger guiltyon all charges except reckless driving, her rep revealed to PEOPLE. The reality star is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29.

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Jen Shah

Jen Shah.Chad Kirkland/Bravo/ Getty

TheReal Housewives of Salt Lake Citystar and her assistantStuart Smith, who has also appeared on the Bravo series,were arrested on March 30, 2021. They were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Shah and Smith allegedly carried out a nationwide telemarketing scheme with the help of others between 2012 and March of 2021, according to the indictment. They are accused of having “defrauded hundreds of victims” with purported business services. They were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing through which they victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

On July 11, 2022, Shahswitched her original plea of not guiltyto guilty, taking responsibility for the fraud and money laundering charges. Entering the guilty plea means Shah will not stand trial.

Smith initially pleaded not guilty in April 2021, butchanged his plea to guiltythat November. He was later denied a reduced sentence after previously receiving 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release, perFox News.

03of 16Leah McSweeneyLeah McSweeney.Charles Sykes/BravoThe newest New York City housewifewas arrested back in 2002, she told PEOPLE, during an altercation outside the Hammerstein Ballroom.As McSweeney recalled, she had been at a concert that night until roughly 4 a.m., dancing the night away with her then-crush. Like the rest of the attendees, she piled out into the street when the concert was over, and soon found herself in the throws of a makeout with her date. But during their kiss, police swooped in to clear the crowd and wound up separating McSweeney from her kissing partner.“I felt him being pulled away from me, and there was five police officers beating him up,” recalled McSweeney, who was 20 years old at the time. “It was really scary. And I had a half-empty plastic water bottle with me and I threw it — not even directly at someone, just threw it in that direction. It was just a total knee-jerk reaction. But it hit a cop in the back.““He turned around and lunged at me and punched me in the face,” she recalled. “I fell onto the sidewalk, and suddenly I had four cops on my back, cuffing me. I just felt so many knees on my back. And one of them slammed my face into the subway grates and knocked my tooth out.“Luckily, McSweeney was able to turn that situation into something good. She pursued legal action and wound up with a $75,000 payout that she used to kick-start her women’s streetwear company,Married to the Mob.

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Leah McSweeney

Leah McSweeney.Charles Sykes/Bravo

The newest New York City housewifewas arrested back in 2002, she told PEOPLE, during an altercation outside the Hammerstein Ballroom.

As McSweeney recalled, she had been at a concert that night until roughly 4 a.m., dancing the night away with her then-crush. Like the rest of the attendees, she piled out into the street when the concert was over, and soon found herself in the throws of a makeout with her date. But during their kiss, police swooped in to clear the crowd and wound up separating McSweeney from her kissing partner.

“I felt him being pulled away from me, and there was five police officers beating him up,” recalled McSweeney, who was 20 years old at the time. “It was really scary. And I had a half-empty plastic water bottle with me and I threw it — not even directly at someone, just threw it in that direction. It was just a total knee-jerk reaction. But it hit a cop in the back.”

“He turned around and lunged at me and punched me in the face,” she recalled. “I fell onto the sidewalk, and suddenly I had four cops on my back, cuffing me. I just felt so many knees on my back. And one of them slammed my face into the subway grates and knocked my tooth out.”

Luckily, McSweeney was able to turn that situation into something good. She pursued legal action and wound up with a $75,000 payout that she used to kick-start her women’s streetwear company,Married to the Mob.

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Gina & Matthew Kirschenheiter

Gina and Matt Kirschenheiter.Gina Kirschenheiter/Instagram

It was a rollercoaster ride forReal Housewives of Orange CountystarGina Kirschenheiterand her ex-husband Matthew amid theirdivorce.

Gina, who separated from Matt in April 2018, was arrested in February 2019 on drunk driving charges in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, a representative for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department toldPEOPLE.

Four months later, Matthew was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, according toThe Blast. His arrest came just two days before Gina reportedly filed arequest for a protective orderagainst him. Matthew was taken into custody and booked in an Orange County, California, jail on June 22 and was released the next morning.

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Luann de Lesseps

E!

Life hasn’t always been a cabaret for the former countess. TheReal Housewives of New York Citystar was arrested in December 2017 after reportedlyattacking a police officerin Palm Beach, Florida — nearly one year aftershe wednow-ex Tom D’Agostino. She was charged with disorderly intoxication, battery on an officer/firefighter/EMT, resisting arrest with violence and threatening a public servant, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

“This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding, and being here brought up long-buried emotions,” de Lesseps told PEOPLE in a statement. “I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior. I am committed to a transformative and hopeful 2018.”

Though de Lesseps appeared to complete her community service, probation officers claimedin a May 2019 reportthat de Lesseps failed her alcohol test and later admitted to “drinking 2 glasses of mimosas after a performance she had in Chicago.”

She admitted to the allegations in court, prompting the judge to add three more terms to her probation.

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Kim Richards

Peter Kramer/Getty Images

She entered rehab, and in December 2016, told PEOPLE she was “so happy.”

“Before I started the show, life was really good and then, you know, things happened and it wasn’t,” she told reporters atThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsseason 7 premiere party. “And it wasn’t just my relapse that was hard, but I went through a depression as well after that.”

07of 16NeNe LeakesGettyReal Housewives of Atlanta’s original peach has proudly gone frommugshots to millions. Leakes was arrested in 1992 and charged with one misdemeanor and three felony counts of “theft of services” for ripping off her phone company when she was 25 years old. Leakes pleaded guilty to all four counts. She was arrested three more times due to probation violations, according toIB Times. No further information on the cases have been made available.

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NeNe Leakes

Getty

Real Housewives of Atlanta’s original peach has proudly gone frommugshots to millions. Leakes was arrested in 1992 and charged with one misdemeanor and three felony counts of “theft of services” for ripping off her phone company when she was 25 years old. Leakes pleaded guilty to all four counts. She was arrested three more times due to probation violations, according toIB Times. No further information on the cases have been made available.

08of 16Joe & Teresa GiudiceAlo Ceballos/GC ImagesBy far the most serious arrests played out on theReal Housewives of New Jerseywhen Teresa and her husband Joe wereboth indicted on federal fraud chargeson July 29, 2013. They were charged in a 39-count indictment that included conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud.On Oct. 2, 2014, in addition to probation and fines, Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in prison for fraud, while Joe was sentenced to 41 months and was released to Italy, where hecontinues to appealhis deportation order.

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Joe & Teresa Giudice

Alo Ceballos/GC Images

By far the most serious arrests played out on theReal Housewives of New Jerseywhen Teresa and her husband Joe wereboth indicted on federal fraud chargeson July 29, 2013. They were charged in a 39-count indictment that included conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud.

On Oct. 2, 2014, in addition to probation and fines, Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in prison for fraud, while Joe was sentenced to 41 months and was released to Italy, where hecontinues to appealhis deportation order.

09of 16Sonja MorganKris Connor/Getty ImagesThe New York housewife was arrested on drunk driving, driving without a fastened seatbelt, failure to keep right and failure to stop at a stop sign charges in June 2010, according toCBS News, during her stay in Southampton, New York. No further information on the case has been made available.

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Sonja Morgan

Kris Connor/Getty Images

The New York housewife was arrested on drunk driving, driving without a fastened seatbelt, failure to keep right and failure to stop at a stop sign charges in June 2010, according toCBS News, during her stay in Southampton, New York. No further information on the case has been made available.

10of 16Porsha WilliamsFulton County Sheriff’s Office/GettyReunions are known to bring the drama, but when things got heated between Atlanta’s Williams and then-castmateKenya Mooreduring theirinfamous season 6 fight, Williams had to pay the consequences.During an explosive argument between the two stars, Williams pulled Moore’s hair and hostAndy Cohenand staff had to physically pull the two apart. Moore pressed charges and a warrant was issued for Williams' arrest, according toEssence. Williams then turned herself in to the Fulton County Sheriff, where she was booked, and released on a battery misdemeanor charge.

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Porsha Williams

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Getty

Reunions are known to bring the drama, but when things got heated between Atlanta’s Williams and then-castmateKenya Mooreduring theirinfamous season 6 fight, Williams had to pay the consequences.

During an explosive argument between the two stars, Williams pulled Moore’s hair and hostAndy Cohenand staff had to physically pull the two apart. Moore pressed charges and a warrant was issued for Williams' arrest, according toEssence. Williams then turned herself in to the Fulton County Sheriff, where she was booked, and released on a battery misdemeanor charge.

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Tinsley Mortimer

The New York housewife made her Housewives debut as the hot new castmate with a mugshot.

Mortimer was charged in Palm Beach, Florida, in April 2016 with trespassing the home of ex-boyfriend Nico Fanjul, son of sugar baron Alex Fanjul. The trespassing charges were later dropped. Almost one year later, Mortimer exclusively opened up toPEOPLEabout her volatile relationship with Fanjul; she was hospitalized with head lacerations on Christmas Day in 2013 and her car windshield was broken during another brutal fight between the two, according to police reports.

Of the duo’s tumultuous relationship, a source toldPEOPLEthat “they are both to blame.”

“Tinsley gets jealous and Nico can be a bully,” the source continued. “He is aware of who he is and can push it around to a fault.”

Mortimer was previously married to oil legacy Topper Mortimer.

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Danielle Staub

Charles Sykes/Getty Images

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14of 16Kelly BensimonGilbert Carrasquillo/Getty ImagesThe former New York housewife was arrested on March 5, 2009, on suspicion of punching her then-boyfriend Nick Stefanov in the face, giving him a laceration under his left eye, the N.Y.C. Police Department toldPEOPLE. Bensimon was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault. No further information on the case has been made available.

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Kelly Bensimon

Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

The former New York housewife was arrested on March 5, 2009, on suspicion of punching her then-boyfriend Nick Stefanov in the face, giving him a laceration under his left eye, the N.Y.C. Police Department toldPEOPLE. Bensimon was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault. No further information on the case has been made available.

15of 16Marysol PattonManny Hernandez/WireImageTheReal Housewives of Miamistar was arrested on suspicion of DUI in January 2010 and was able to strike a deal with prosecutors after pleading to contest to a lesser charge of reckless driving to avoid jail time, according toE!.Patton’slate mother Elsawas also arrested on suspicion of DUI three months earlier but her case was later dismissed when her arresting officer failed to show up to court to testify.

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Marysol Patton

Manny Hernandez/WireImage

TheReal Housewives of Miamistar was arrested on suspicion of DUI in January 2010 and was able to strike a deal with prosecutors after pleading to contest to a lesser charge of reckless driving to avoid jail time, according toE!.Patton’slate mother Elsawas also arrested on suspicion of DUI three months earlier but her case was later dismissed when her arresting officer failed to show up to court to testify.

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Brandi Glanville

Slaven Vlasic/Getty

The former Beverly Hills star wasarrested on DUI chargesin October 2010, according to the Beverly Hills Police Department.

source: people.com