NEED TO KNOW
- Dr. Wendy Osefo has spoken out for the first time since she and husband Eddie Osefo were arrested on fraud charges
- “Thank you for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers for myself and most importantly my family during this time. We are forever grateful,” she wrote on Instagram, breaking her silence
- The reality stars are facing 16 charges total
Dr. Wendy Osefo is speaking out for the first time since she and husband Eddie Osefo were arrested on fraud charges.
On Sunday, Oct. 19, the Real Housewives of Potomac star, 41, shared a post on Instagram, in which she addressed her arrest in Maryland earlier this month.
“And through it all, GOD remains faithful,” Wendy captioned her post, sharing a photo of herself posing in a black and white gown.
“Thank you for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers for myself and most importantly my family during this time. We are forever grateful🙏🏾,” she added, then telling viewers to tune in for the latest episode of her popular Bravo series.
Wendy and Eddie, 41, were booked in Westminster on Thursday, Oct. 9. They are facing 16 charges, seven of which are felonies related to alleged false/misleading info fraud in excess of $300, the Westminster Police Department (WPD) confirmed to PEOPLE.
The couple claimed designer bags and jewelry were missing from their bedroom during a reported burglary in Jamaica in April 2024. Wendy was allegedly seen wearing one of the diamond rings in a later social media post, authorities alleged.
A police investigation determined that other items the couple said were stolen had been purchased and returned to their respective stores, “where a full refund was provided prior to the alleged burglary.”
In the prosecution’s bail recommendation documents obtained by TMZ, prosecutors allege the couple claimed a $450,000 personal property loss via an insurance company.
Wendy joined RHOP in season 5, and she is slated to appear in Bravo’s new series, Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition.
The show, originally set for Oct. 14, has been delayed to Oct. 21. It will not begin with Wendy’s episode, as was previously planned.
The reality star and Eddie — who share children Karter, 12, Kruz, 10, and Kamrynn, 6 — celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary in August.
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A number of other RHOP and Bravo stars have spoken out about Wendy’s arrest, including Andy Cohen, who commented on the matter on the Oct. 13 episode of SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live.
“I want to say that like all of you, I found out about the charges against Wendy and Eddie Osefo on Friday morning, and there’s not much that I can say,” the television personality said. “I know nothing of the charges more than you guys do, than what I’ve read. I’m sad about this. I’m really sad about this.”
“I’m a Wendy fan and she has been a great housewife and a great role model,” he continued. “She’s always led with education and her solid family values, and so I’m really thinking about her and her family, and I’m certainly hoping that this is all some big nothing.”
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Wendy resigned from her role as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Wesleyan University following her arrest. In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the star clarified that Wendy was not fired.
“Contrary to recent media reports, Dr. Wendy Osefo was not terminated from a faculty position at Wesleyan University. She formally submitted her letter of resignation prior to any public announcement made by the university,” the rep said.
“Dr. Osefo made the voluntary decision to step down from her role. This decision was made independently and communicated directly to the university before any external reports surfaced,” the statement from the spokesperson added.
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