Andy Cohen has expressed shock over the arrest of Real Housewives of Potomac star Wendy Osefo.
Wendy and husband Eddie Osefo were indicted on felony fraud charges and taken into custody at their house in Finksburg, Maryland on Oct. 9, the Carroll County sheriff said last week at a news conference.
Cohen, who is an executive producer on the Bravo show, addressed the pair’s arrests on the Monday, Oct. 13 episode of his SiriusXM “Andy Cohen Live” radio show.
“Like all of you, I found out about the charges against Wendy and Eddie Osefo on Friday morning,” Cohen said in a clip posted to Instagram by The Neighborhood Talk.
Related: Sheriff Details Case Against ‘RHOP’ Star Wendy Osefo and Husband Eddie
He sounded overwhelmed by the drama involving another Housewives star.
“I’m really sad about this. I’m a Wendy fan and she has been a great housewife and a great role model. She always led with education and her solid family values, and I’m really thinking about her and her family,” Cohen added. “I’m certainly hoping that this is all some big nothing.”
But Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees insists the case is far from nothing.
At a news conference Friday streamed live on Facebook, DeWees and State’s Attorney Haven N. Shoemaker Jr. said the Osefos each face more than a dozen charges.
Wendy is charged with a total of 16 counts — seven counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of false statement to a police officer.
Eddie faces 18 counts — nine counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of false statement to a police officer.
The charges are related to a burglary the couple reported at their home in April 2024. DeWees said Eddie made the call to 911, and the couple filed insurance claims reporting they had lost more than $400,000 in jewelry and designer handbags.
The sheriff said patrol deputies had doubts that a crime had occurred almost from the moment they arrived at the couple’s home.
“Patrol deputies and detectives found no signs of forced entry or physical evidence of a burglary, such as footprints, fingerprints, or any entry point,” DeWees told reporters.
Per the sheriff, detectives processed the scene for fingerprints, DNA, and analyzed footage from the home’s interior and exterior surveillance cameras.
“None of the cameras picked up any motion or indicated a breach inside of the house. Cameras also did not pick up any suspicious activity outside of the residence,” he said, adding that detectives also looked at surveillance footage from neighboring homes.
The couple told deputies the burglar climbed through a second story window, something DeWees said would be “extraordinarily difficult.”
As the investigation progressed, he said detectives found evidence on the couple’s social media accounts.
“Mrs. Osefo had posted photos on social media wearing jewelry that matched items she had reported stolen, specifically a diamond anniversary band,” DeWees said.
On Friday afternoon, a rep for Wendy issued a statement saying the couple is looking “forward to their day in court.”
“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,” the statement read. “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.”
The couple’s arrests came just five weeks after Real Housewives of Potomac star Karen Huger was released from jail after serving six months for driving under the influence.
In December 2024, People magazine reported 16 Housewives stars from the various cities have been arrested over the years, including Huger.
Among those cases, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah began a six and a half-year prison sentence in 2023 after pleading guilty to running a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a statement, “Shah finally faces the consequences of the many years she spent targeting vulnerable, elderly victims.”
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice and then-husband, Joe Giudice, pleaded guilty in 2014 to fraud, including mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud. Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, while Joe got 41 months and was later deported.
Other Housewives stars who’ve been arrested include Kim Richards, Luann de Lesseps, Brandi Glanville, and Marysol Patton.
On Oct. 12, celebrity gossip columnist Rob Shuter reported on his “Naughty But Nice” newsletter that NBCUniversal executives are “embarrassed” by the continuing “bad press” involving Bravo stars — from arrests to lawsuits.
“The breaking point came with the arrest of Real Housewives of Potomac star Wendy Osefo and her husband on felony fraud charges — the latest in a string of reality disasters following Leah McSweeney’s explosive lawsuit and Caroline Manzo’s harassment claims,” Shuter wrote.
“Every week it’s another scandal,” an insider told him. “NBC’s brand is about credibility and prestige — Bravo’s turned into a circus.”
Shuter said a second insider spilled, “NBC’s had enough. The Housewives might be about to get the ultimate reality check — cancellation.”
Click on the post below to hear Andy Cohen’s comments.
Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
