‘RHOP’ Star Wendy Osefo and Husband Eddie Arrested on Multiple Fraud Charges

Real Housewives of Potomac star Wendy Osefo and husband Eddie Osefo have posted bail, after they were arrested on multiple fraud charges.

The two were taken into custody at their house in Finksburg, Maryland on Thursday, Oct. 9, according to Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees.

The charges stem from a burglary the couple reported at their home in April 2024, DeWees said at a news conference Friday that streamed live on Facebook.

Wendy Osefo is charged with 16 counts — seven counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of false statement to a police officer.

Eddie Osefo faces 18 counts — nine counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of conspiracy insurance fraud, and one count of false statement to a police officer.

Related: ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ Season 10 to Bring Surprising Return

During Friday’s news conference, the sheriff said Eddie called 911 on the night of April 7, 2024, to report a burglary.

Eddie said thousands of dollars worth of luxury items were stolen from the couple’s house while they vacationed in Jamaica.

At “10:13pm, deputies responded to a residence in the 1900 block of Turnberry court in Finksburg for a reported burglary,” Sheriff DeWees said.

Deputies immediately noticed the couple’s story wasn’t adding up and called detectives to help with the case, the sheriff told reporters.

“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 said.

Investigators 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,” DeWees said.

Detectives checked surveillance cameras from neighboring homes, but still could not find evidence of suspicious activity.

Deputies said the Osefos made a statement declaring they “found their bedroom and both closets to be ransacked, and several designer handbags and jewelry had been stolen.”

The couple told deputies the burglar entered the home through a second story window, but deputies were skeptical.

“I’ve seen this particular residence, it would be extraordinarily difficult to get up to that that second story, and go through a bathroom off of the master bedroom to get into,” the sheriff said.

He also noted that there was no real evidence inside the house that a burglary had occurred.

“My detectives actually traveled up the side, walked out on the roof and walked back into the bathroom, only to track stuff inside, into the bathroom asphalt from their shoes or debris,” he said.

Yet there was no debris in the house when deputies responded, according to the sheriff.

“I’m pretty sure the burglars didn’t take a broom and clean up after themselves, if they, in fact tossed the room like it was staged during the burglary,” the sheriff said somewhat sarcastically.

He said his department worked the case for a few months, even though they doubted the couple’s account from the start.

“We treated it like it was a burglary, and followed the evidence,” the sheriff said.

Responding deputies said the pair filed a false police report and told them 80 items were stolen, including jewelry, clothing and shoes worth more than $200,000.

Although detectives later found that more than $20,000 of the allegedly stolen items were returned to the store where they were purchased for a full refund, the sheriff said.

Detectives also combed through the couple’s social media accounts.

“Mrs. Asefo had posted photos on social media wearing jewelry that matched items she had reported stolen, specifically a diamond anniversary band,” DeWees told reporters.

Investigators additionally went through their emails, and found communications between the two discussing the alleged theft. In one e-mail, detectives said Eddie sent a list of the allegedly stolen items to Wendy.

The email asked if there were “additional high-value items we can add to this inventory listing… I’m trying to get the total to exceed $423,000, which is our policy maximum,” Eddie is alleged to have written.

On Thursday, the sheriff’s department executed a search and seizure warrant at the couple’s home, and found at least 15 items that were reported stolen, according to the sheriff.

Asked by reporters if the department put more resources than usual into the investigation because of the couple’s celebrity status, the sheriff insisted he had no clue who they were, adding, “I don’t watch the show.”

DeWees said there is rarely crime in the wealthy community where the Osefos live and film for RHOP.

“Crime in this county is very, very low. And so my detectives, when they get a case like this, will work it very diligently to find whoever burglarized the residence,” he said. “But if, in fact, we believe that it’s a false report, will investigate the same way. So I don’t care if she’s a real housewife, fake housewife, or whatever she is, we would have handled it the same way regardless of who she was.”

Reporters asked why the couple would have allegedly filed a false police report.

“You can only speculate that they were in some financial issues,” the sheriff said.

On Friday afternoon, a rep for Wendy issued a statement to TMZ.

“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.”

Wendy joined the cast of Real Housewives of Potomac for season 5 in 2020. The Nigerian-American reality star is a main cast member of RHOP.

She is a journalist, former professor at John Hopkins University, and has been a contributor on various news channels. In 2016, she earned a Ph.D. in public affairs and community development from Rutgers University-Camden.

Eddie is an attorney, CEO and founder of the cannabis brand Happy Eddie.

They share three children and over the summer celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.

In August, Bravo released details on RHOP’s current 10th season, which premiered Oct. 5.

The network teased, “Wendy Osefo is back with big changes in both her personal and professional lives. While still dedicating time and effort toward the growth of her husband’s cannabis line.”

The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.