'RHOP' star Wendy Osefo, husband arrested on fraud charges: Sheriff's office
"Real Housewives of Potomac" star Wendy Osefo and her husband Edward Osefo were arrested this week on fraud charges, according to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office in Maryland.
According to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office on Friday, Wendy Osefo and Edward Osefo were taken into custody on Thursday and charged with multiple fraud-related counts after allegedly lying to police in April about having property stolen from their home during a vacation.
The couple have since posted bond and were released on Friday, the sheriff's office said.
The Facebook post states that deputies "met with the homeowners" after they allegedly "returned from vacation to find that their home had been entered and numerous items had been stolen."
According to the sheriff's office, the couple reported around 80 items stolen, including jewelry, luxury goods, clothing and shoes. The estimated value of the allegedly stolen goods exceeded $200,000, the sheriff's office said.
Detectives raised doubts about the couple's story, according to bail memos obtained by ABC News. The alleged break-in point was a second-floor bathroom window in the couple's home, but investigators say there were no ladders or disturbed deck furniture, the toilet beneath the window was untouched, and the home's ADT alarm system showed no movement inside while they were away.
The bail memos also state that the Osefos allegedly filed multiple insurance claims, with at least one instance of the same item, an anniversary band, allegedly being listed on different claims with different insurance companies.
The memos claim that a separate investigation found $20,000 worth of items listed as stolen had allegedly been returned to various stores for a full refund, including a Dior shirt valued at $1,450, that had allegedly been returned on Jan. 14, 2023, more than a year before the initial reported robbery.
According to the memos, investigators said Wendy Osefo was also allegedly spotted on social media wearing her diamond anniversary band weeks after the alleged break-in, despite the couple's claim that it was stolen.
Deputies say they reviewed emails that appeared to show Edward Osefo allegedly asking Wendy Osefo if they could pad an insurance claim, the memos state, requesting to know if there were "additional high-value items we can add to this inventory listing (i.e., Chanel shoes, etc.)."
"I'm trying to get the total to exceed $423,000 which is our policy maximum," he allegedly wrote.
When officers searched the couple's home during their arrests on Thursday, they said they recovered at least 15 items the couple had reported stolen, the memos say.
Prosecutors say the investigation found the Osefos were "burdened by substantial debt."
Edward Osefo, 41, was indicted by a grand jury on nine counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of making a false statement to a police officer.
Wendy Osefo, also 41, was indicted on seven counts of insurance fraud, eight conspiracy counts and one false-statement charge.
Each posted $50,000 bond and were released Friday.
A representative for the couple said in a statement to ABC News on Friday, "Dr. Wendy Osefo and her husband, Edward Osefo, are back home safely with their family and in good spirits. They are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from friends, fans, and colleagues."
They added, "The Osefos, alongside their legal team, look forward to their day in court. At this time, they respectfully ask for privacy as they focus on their family and the legal process ahead."
Wendy Osefo, who has been on the "The Real Housewives of Potomac" since season 5, is a television personality who has appeared as a political commentator in several national news broadcasts and publications.
Wendy Osefo was previously a professor at Johns Hopkins University, where she she taught in the Doctor of Education program.
Her website identifies her as the founder and CEO of the 1954 Equity Project, which "provides tools, mentorship, and resources for underrepresented minorities to thrive in higher education," according to its website.
