'RHOP' Star Wendy Osefo, Husband Booked on Fraud Charges in Maryland

1:15 PM PT — Bravo has delayed the premiere of “Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition” … the Osefos were meant to star in the first episode, Variety reports that the premiere will be moved from Oct. 14 to Oct. 21 due to the Osefos’ arrests.

12:03 PM PT — A representative for Wendy shared with TMZ … “Dr. Wendy Osefo and her husband, Edward Osefo, are back home with their family and in good spirits. They appreciate all the concern and support from friends, fans, and colleagues.”

“The Osefos, accompanied by their legal team, are awaiting their court date. They kindly ask for privacy as they tend to their family and navigate the upcoming legal proceedings.”

Dr. Wendy Osefo and her spouse Eddie are facing criminal charges for fraud, as reported by TMZ.

Documents acquired by TMZ indicate that “The Real Housewives of Potomac” star confronts 16 charges — including 7 felonies — for allegedly presenting false and misleading information, exceeding $300 in fraud. She is additionally facing a misdemeanor count for making a false statement to an officer.

The couple was taken into custody on Thursday evening in Westminster, Maryland.

Here’s the situation … law enforcement states the couple reported a burglary last April … they claimed they returned home from a trip to Jamaica to find their bedroom in disarray. We previously covered that incident at the time.

According to bail recommendation documents obtained by TMZ … the couple allegedly informed law enforcement that several designer bags and jewelry were stolen — however … deputies from Carroll County claim Wendy was later spotted in a social media image wearing a diamond ring she had reported stolen!

Furthermore, the investigation revealed that numerous items the Osefos claimed were stolen had actually been purchased and returned to the retailer, receiving a full refund before the alleged burglary. The documents reveal the couple sought a $450,000 personal property loss from their insurance company.

Wendy Osefo has been a cast member since Season 5 … previously, she was a college professor specializing in education at Johns Hopkins University until her resignation in 2024. Additionally, she is a contributor for The Hill and MSNBC. She holds degrees from Temple University and Johns Hopkins, alongside a Ph.D. in public affairs and community development from Rutgers.

Wendy was spotted recently at a CultureCon event in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday.

Wendy has maintained a close relationship with Kamala Harris during the former Vice President’s presidential campaign last year … they share membership in the same sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

This news comes shortly after the release of ‘RHOP’ castmate Karen Huger last month, who served 6 months of a 1-year sentence for successive DUIs.