The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice’s daughter Gia Giudice was dragged into her stepdad Luis Ruelas’ court battle with his ex-fiancée, Vanessa Reiser, Us Weekly can exclusively report.
Ruelas, 50, submitted a declaration as part of his effort to have Reiser found in contempt. He claimed she violated a deal they reached in 2020 to not disparage the other or make any statement that would harm the other’s personal and professional reputation.
In his filing, Ruelas accused his ex of contacting various parties, including family, bloggers and others, to disparage him. He said she also posted defamatory content on social media.
Ruelas said Reiser also followed his stepdaughter Gia on Instagram, “and makes her presence known there too, causing uncomfortable feelings and emotions for a young girl.”
He claimed his ex’s conduct had caused him, Teresa and their children “daily emotional distress” despite never even having met them. Ruelas attached a screenshot of an old Instagram post by Gia, 24.
Ruelas also claimed Reiser told RHONJ alum Kim DePaola she was going to “milk this for everything it’s worth” in regard to her prior relationship with him.
Ruelas claimed Reiser befriended his ex-wife and other cast members on RHONJ to ensure her alleged relentless attack on him and Teresa, 53, “would succeed.”
He claimed his ex gossiped about how he treated her and how he was going to treat Teresa. He said Reiser made friends with RHONJ star Jackie Goldschneider, who he described as his “one-time enemy of his.”
Ruelas claimed his ex made disparaging statements to Goldschneider.
Goldschneider, 48, told the court, “Based on my observations and interactions with Ms. Reiser, I believe that her actions and statements are in direct violation of the terms of the Consent Order between her and Mr. Ruelas. Her conduct, as it pertained to me, had been consistent and aimed at disparaging Mr. Ruelas.”
In his motion, Ruelas pointed to a podcast appearance Reiser made in July 2023 where she described him as a narcissistic partner. He said she gave another interview the same month where she claimed Teresa was being “fed” misinformation and suggested that “mind control” was involved.
In his filing, he claimed Reiser’s actions cost him a six-figure salary with a publicly traded company that he founded. “Due to Reiser’s defamatory conduct, I have lost significant business opportunities and suffered economic damages, as several individuals have chosen not to do business with me,” Ruelas said in his declaration.
He added, “The impact of Reiser’s statements has been deeply damaging, affecting my personal life, my relationship with my wife and children and my professional reputation.”
Ruelas asked that Reiser be thrown in jail for her actions.
In response, Reiser denied all allegations of wrongdoing or that she violated the 2020 deal to not disparage each other.
In regard to DePaola, 64, she said she was friends with her for years. She denied DePaola’s interpretation of the remark that she was “going to milk this for all its worth.”
She said did hang out with Goldschneider at Goldschneider’s home. She said, “Jackie hated [Ruelas] and his wife because his wife wrongfully and viciously accused Jackie’s husband of having an affair. But now, when Jackie needs a friend to keep her on the show, she had buddied up with Teresa.”
She denied she violated the agreement not to disparage her ex during her conversations with Goldschneider.
In regard to Gia, Reiser claimed Ruelas offered a screenshot to “support its claim for some wrongdoing by me.”
She said the exhibit “seems to be an Instagram” post by Gia that did not include Ruelas nor was he mentioned in the post. She claimed the screenshot does not show her liking or commenting on the post.
Reiser said Gia is over the age of 18. She said, “If Gia felt uncomfortable by something or some one online, she could simply block that person. If [it was] harassing, she could report that person. If she alleges criminal conduct she could involve the police.”
She added, “If she claimed defamation, she could file a civil action. She has done none of the above.”
“What cannot be done, is allow [Ruelas] to attribute his wife’s adult daughter now, that she feels uncomfortable, from a 2021 post, of which on its face there is no nexus to me, and use [the] same as evidence in court.”
The court has yet to rule on the matter.
The legal drama between Ruelas and Reiser started when he filed suit in 2020. He demanded the return of the engagement ring and money. Reiser filed a counterclaim against Ruelas claiming he was controlling during the relationship and caused her business harm.
