Wendy Osefo, a star of “Real Housewives of Potomac,” and her husband, Edward Osefo, were arrested on October 9 and charged with insurance fraud. The charges stem from a reported fake burglary at their Maryland home, as stated by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
Both Wendy, 41, and Edward, 41, were released on bail Friday after being indicted on multiple charges related to the alleged fake burglary.
According to CBS, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office reported that troopers responded to the couple’s Finksburg residence, located in the 1900 block of Turnberry Court, on April 7, 2024, following a burglary report filed by Edward.
The couple resides at the address with their three school-aged children, and the home is also a filming location for the reality show “Real Housewives of Potomac.”
According to officials, the couple said their home was burglarized between April 2 and April 7, while they were vacationing in Jamaica. They claimed that over $200,000 worth of designer handbags and jewelry was stolen from an upstairs bedroom.
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Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees stated that troopers collaborated with the Major Crime Unit due to the high value of the stolen items. However, officials noted that the home’s indoor and outdoor surveillance systems did not register any motion or signs of a breach. Neighboring surveillance cameras also failed to capture any suspicious activity.
Despite the investigation, troopers found no evidence of forced entry, footprints, or fingerprints at the residence that would suggest a burglary had occurred.
Officials reported that the Osefos claimed the burglar entered their master bedroom through a second-story window. However, there was no evidence to support this claim. While the upstairs bedroom was found ransacked, with a mattress thrown to the floor, indicating a burglary, a significant inconsistency emerged.
In the days following the reported incident, the Osefos contacted the sheriff’s office multiple times to provide further details about missing items and reported these losses to their insurance companies.
Weeks later, however, officials discovered that Wendy had posted on social media wearing a diamond anniversary band, an item she had reported as stolen.
“We had become suspicious that this was a false claim,” DeWees said.
Investigators obtained a warrant for the couple’s email accounts, uncovering evidence that the reported burglary was fraudulent.
According to DeWees, an email from Edward to Wendy explicitly stated, “Are there additional high-value items we can add to this inventory list. I’m trying to get the total to exceed $423,000, which is our policy maximum.”
The investigation also revealed that some of the supposedly stolen items had been returned to retailers within 90 days of purchase in 2018. Receipts for these returned items were provided to law enforcement during the investigation, as stated by DeWees.
“It became clear that the Osefos had fabricated the burglary and filed a false report in an attempt to defraud their insurance company,” DeWees said.
On October 9 when Wendy and Edward were arrested, a search of their home uncovered 15 items, including high-end jewelry and handbags, which officials suspect were reported stolen in the initial crime report.
“Some folks may view insurance fraud as an innocuous crime, since it only affects insurance companies. That’s certainly not true at all,” said Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker. “Insurance fraud affects all of us in the form of increased premiums that we all bear.”
According to NBC News, Wendy is facing 16 charges for making false/misleading information fraud and making false statements to an officer. Her husband faces 18 charges related to the same crimes.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Wendy said on Friday that she and her husband are back home and doing well.
“They are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from friends, fans, and colleagues. The Osefos, alongside their legal team, look forward to their day in court,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “At this time, they respectfully ask for privacy as they focus on their family and the legal process ahead.”
Wendy, a Nigerian-born professor, political analyst, and entrepreneur, stars in Bravo TV’s “The Real Housewives of the Potomac” (RHOP) and has appeared on the show since 2020. She moved to Maryland and has been married for 14 years. Her husband, Edward, who frequently appears on RHOP, is an attorney and the founder of the cannabis brand Happy Eddie.
On Friday, following her arrest, Bravo pulled the premiere episode of Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition, which was to feature her.
The cable network was set to premiere the offshoot series on October 14, with Osefo and her family being its focus. However, after fraud allegations against her and her husband, the premiere of Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition was postponed one week to October 21, Deadline reported.
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