Teresa Giudice Hires Ponzi Schemer and Ex-Con Wendy Feldman Purner as Her Crisis Manager and Legal Coach (Updated 1/3/2015)

In the Fall of 2013, Wendy Feldman Purner became Teresa Giudice’s pro bono “crisis manager.” Wendy is trying to become famous by associating herself with high-profile clients (i.e. she is another famewhore).

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On March 6, 2014, In Touch reported that Teresa Giudice’s crisis manager Wendy Feldman went on the record last year and slammed Teresa — calling her a narcissist and a terrible client — just months before Teresa signed her as a legal coach:

In the August 2013 interview, she also said the reality star “needs to go into treatment” because there is “something wrong with her thinking.”

At the time, Wendy was talking to The Amy Beth Arkawy Show about how she would handle her as a client, saying she would tell Teresa and husband Joe to “stop all the media.”

Of course, that didn’t exactly happen. In November, the Real Housewife hired “The Fixer” to help her prepare for her trial.

During the initial radio interview, the legal coach revealed she would have Teresa “evaluated” if she had the opportunity to work with the reality star — even though that has yet to happen, that we know of.

“The number one thing I would do if I was on her team is get a psychological evaluation because there is something with her and she needs to go into some sort of treatment,” Wendy explained.

“I am not saying substance abuse treatment because that is not her issue. But there is something wrong with her thinking and until you correct her thinking you cannot really work with it.”

Wendy told the radio hosts she knew Teresa “from a long time ago,” adding that she is friends with other women from the Housewives franchise, so it wasn’t as if she was judging the mother-of-four based on her table-flipping television antics.

Still, even with a personal relationship, she wasn’t hesitant to slam Tre.

“There is an interesting dynamic with people who do those shows,” she said. “There is a narcissistic component that, unless you get a hold of it, will destroy you.”

The bottom line — the self-proclaimed “leading alternative sentencing specialist” had absolutely no interest in working with the Giudices, who pled guilty to multiple counts of fraud earlier this week.

“You have two people here that would be terrible clients because they would never listen,” Wendy said. “And they are in a load of trouble.”

In November 2013, Wendy Feldman confirmed to US Weekly (and other tabloids) that she is working with the Teresa Giudice, labeling herself as Teresa’s “legal coach and crisis manager”:

“I’m her legal coach and crisis manager. I have not been hired to prepare either Teresa or Joe Guidice for prison. In fact, most of my work is well-known as crisis management oriented. In addition, I am known as director of alternative sentencing at Cliffside Malibu where [Lindsay] Lohan recently was. However, I am acting as the legal coach and crisis manager only for Teresa Giudice.”

Previously Wendy was described as a prison consultant, counseling inmates released from prison and helping them go back into society [source]:

“Prison and criminal justice consultant and coach Wendy Feldman talks about working with people to prepare for incarceration, serve their sentences and re-enter society. She tells of her own experience serving time in a federal prison camp and halfway house, and how it shaped her belief that prison should be a transformational experience. Her program, Custodial Coaching, collaborates with Las Encinas Hospital, The Ranch, Elements Treatment Centers, Promises and others.” [Source]

The following are Wendy’s self-promoting tweets.

Wendy pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced in 2006 to 27-months in federal prison for fleecing clients and bilking $4 million from investors, which included friends and family (she served approximately 22 months in custody and almost three months in a halfway house/home incarceration, although she claims she served 16 months):

“During the period from July 1998 through late 2001, Wendy breached the trust of her brokerage customers and investment advisory clients and engaged in fraud when she misappropriated approximately $4,145,000 from her customers at Broker and her clients while associated with San Diego Asset Management, Inc.” [Source]

Wendy recently was described by E! as a criminal justice expert even though she has no background in law – her experience with the legal system comes from being charged for securities fraud and serving time in a federal prison for the crime.

The following are other ways she’s been described in the media:

• Legal expert and founder of Custodial Coaching Wendy Feldman
• Alternative sentencing specialist Wendy Feldman
• Prison and criminal justice consultant and coach Wendy Feldman

Wendy unabashedly takes credit for Teresa Giudice’s November 20, 2013 court appearance, from her hair to her trench coat, saying “that’s crisis management full service” and tweeting that she tries to “humanize people” with the “right humility.”

In an E! Online report, Wendy said she is good friends with Jill Zarin and explained that Jill was the one to introduce her to Teresa. Also in the report, Wendy asserted that she is acting as Teresa’s publicist and crisis manager and that she will be helping her with her brand and the show when ‘Real Housewives’ season 6 begins taping.

In November 2006, the San Diego Union-Tribune published a story on how Wendy ran an investment Ponzi scheme, stealing more than $4 million from investors (including her parents) which she covered up with bogus account statements. Wendy befriended wealthy clients and persuaded them to trust her before misappropriating their money – she used the money she scammed to pay off other investors to whom she had lied about how much their investments were earning. Wendy drained the assets of her friends and family to fund a lavish lifestyle. The judge in her case ordered Wendy to pay nearly $4.2 million in restitution, but noted she was unlikely to do so. At that time, in 2006, her lawyer said she had no assets and no job, so the judge ordered her to pay $25 every three months while in prison and $500 a month after she got out.

Click here and here for legal documents pertaining to Wendy’s securities fraud case.

The following are articles about Wendy or featuring her.

Kim Kardashian Sells Her Clothes on eBay for Philippine Disaster Relief But Gives Only 10% of the Proceeds to Charity

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Kim Kardashian tweeted about auctioning her old clothes on eBay to help victims of the Philippine typhoon… but she is donating just 10% of the proceeds to charity. Kim’s move drew comparisons between her efforts to help the victims and Victoria Beckham’s. Posh and her husband dropped off more than 20 boxes of designer clothes and shoes at their local British Red Cross shop to raise money for its recovery efforts in the Philippines, and they won’t be seeing a dime of that fundraiser.

The following is the rest of the November 22, 2013 report from Daily Mail.

While we’re going to give Kim the benefit of the doubt that her heart was in the right place, something tells us she might rethink things next time she wants to publicly display how “charitable” she is.

The recent typhoon in The Philippines has claimed thousands of lives and left many struggling to access basic medical care.

And now, Kim Kardashian is bringing attention to their plight by launching an eBay sale of her clothes and accessories.

However, rather than donate the entire proceeds of the sale to non profit organisation International Medical Corps, the multi millionaire is only giving ten percent to the charity, according to the eBay posting.

Launching the sale on Thursday, the 33-year-old reality star tweeted a link to her personal website where she had written a personal letter. She wrote:

“Hi guys, this is a very special auction because a portion of the proceeds of my eBay auction are going to International Medical Corps, a nonprofit organisation that provides critical health services on remote islands where families are struggling to access medical care and basic resources like food, clean drinking water and vital medications.

“The proceeds will go directly to the communities they’re serving in the Philippines and will help typhoon survivors get access to medical care and ultimately save lives.

“My prayers and thoughts are with those affected by the typhoon. Check out my eBay auction here and support those who need our help in the Philippines. Xo.”

Kim has a reported net worth of $40 million.

The sale lists dozens of items of ‘Kim’s favourite clothes and accessories’ from high end designers including Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada.

Many of the items are listed as European size 42 (US size 8/UK size 12).

There are also more affordable pieces from Kim Kourtney and Khloe’s clothing line The Kardashian Kollection.

Some of the more distinctive pieces of clothing are accompanied by photographs of Kim posing in the outfits on red carpets and at events.

MailOnline reached out to Kim’s representative for comment but have yet to receive a response.

Her actions are far removed from those of generous Victoria Beckham and her husband David are donating thousands of pounds worth of designer clothes to their local charity shop to raise cash for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. The couple have handed over boxes full of their old clothes and shoes to a British Red Cross shop in Chelsea, west London, to help fund the charity’s work in the Philippines.

Typhoon Haiyan, known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, is the second-deadliest Philippine typhoon on record and has so far claimed the lives of more than 4,000.

The cyclone caused catastrophic destruction in the central Philippines, particularly on Samar Island and Leyte with many people left homeless and without access to clean drinking water.

Teresa Giudice Can’t Leave RHONJ Because She is ‘Locked into a Long-Term Contract’ Says Her Good Friend Heather Maclean

Teresa Giudice’s good friend of five years and cookbook co-writer Heather Maclean has tweeted since July 2013 that Bravo won’t let Teresa leave RHONJ or get her own series on another network because she is “locked into a contract” that is “longer than five years” and “they won’t let her leave”:

Her contract is longer than 5. Much longer. I think they have her on lockdown until she’s 80… They won’t let her leave.

She’s locked into a contract. Locked. Believe me, when they cast Melissa, she begged Andy to fire her. He said, “Dream on.

She can’t do a spinoff on any other network while she’s on Bravo.

Heather also claimed that when Bravo cast Melissa, Teresa begged Andy to fire her, but he said, “dream on”:

In August and September 2013, Heather continued to tweet about Teresa not being able to break free of her Bravo contract.

On August 19, 2013, ‏@rossst209 asked Heather:

Why can’t Teresa get a show on E, Or A&E, or TLC, or even VH1? Isn’t anyone offering?

Heather replied that Teresa couldn’t get a show on another network because of her Bravo contract, plus she said that Teresa couldn’t even appear as a guest on another network:

She can’t even guest appear on other networks’ shows, especially cooking shows.

Also on August 19, 2013, ‏@Rainbow_Cash_ asked Heather about the shooting schedule for RHONJ season 6:

Is it true that Bravo wants to start shooting S6 of RHONJ next month to cover Teresa’s trial?

Heather replied that they usually don’t give contracts for the new season until after the reunion tapes:

No one has heard a word yet – they usually don’t give next season contracts until after the Reunion tapes as an insurance policy.

Confused by Heather’s tweet that contracts had not yet been negotiated for season 6, another follower, ‏@wlft1, asked why Teresa’s contract goes “forever”:

Heather, you’ve tweeted Tre’s contract goes ‘forever’, yet you’re saying they haven’t rolled out new contract – how come other original HWs from other cities sign new contract every season. We know because some hold out?

Heather didn’t reply, but ‏@Rainbow_Cash_ did respond by tweeting:

Some sign one year contracts. While others sign multiple year contracts. I remember reading an article that said Jacqueline signed a contract binding her to show for multiple years, while people like Kathy have one year contracts. And just because Teresa has a multiple year contract doesn’t mean the rest of the cast does.

Follower @wlft1 followed up by saying that “nobody knows the real story except for the players involved”:

True, just responding to Heather saying they haven’t given NEW contract til after reunion. Actually, she didn’t say new, she said next season’s contracts. My apologies, but it states same thing. I just think nobody knows real story except for the players involved. Btw, I love Teresa n wish her the best!

On September 3, 2013, Heather also didn’t reply when @Exit155nj asked why Teresa couldn’t do a show on another network:

Why can’t she do show on another network? E, Tlc, A&e, vh1 all have shows not dirty and negative. How long is contract?

However, Heather did reply when ‏@teens04 asked how long does Bravo “own you” after you leave the show or after the series ends:

How long do they own you after you’ve left the show or series ended?

Heather tweeted that they own you a “long time, four to five years after”:

4-5 YEARS after. Long time.

On September 3, 2013, @Exit155nj and @BurkettSue commented that every year it seems Housewives leave, and then they asked Heather to explain how Dina Manzo got out of her Bravo contract and how Danielle Staub and Dina both appeared on other shows.

Heather replied, with a wink, that Bravo “allowed them to”:

Bravo allowed them to. 😉

When @wlft1 tweeted, as another example, that “Lisa Vanderpump was on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars,” Heather didn’t respond. And when ‏@claudia65 tweeted that “Dina got off – there has to be a way – maybe just play dead and stop cooperating,” Heather again didn’t respond.

When @claudia65 asked why Teresa couldn’t “pull some stunt to get Bravo to release her?,” another follower, ‏@llllStarllll, replied:

They won’t let her go – she is a star.

Heather didn’t join in the conversation, but she did tweet (to nobody in particular):

Reality TV started out as an entertaining peek into real people’s real lives. It’s now a humbug played out by indentured servants. You can beg to be fired, but if you make great TV, they won’t fire you. Or let you go anywhere else.

The only way to redeem yourself? You have an iron-clad confidentiality agreement as well that means you can’t expose their lies or defend yourself, your family or your honor…or not. If they “fire” you, they still own you. You cannot appear on other networks or even do some other businesses unless they agree.

Producers don’t want to make big stars & then lose them, so first-time contracts are generally 5-10 YEARS. They have the option to use you. You sign away your rights to be portrayed fairly, accurately, or decently. You cannot stop producers’ portrayal NOR defend yourself publicly.

This is my own personal experience with contracts, but I don’t think the public understands how you sell your soul & are trapped by producers. I’m lucky to have gotten out relatively unscathed & blessed to have a wonderful life & career now, but it made me super empathetic to TV ppl.

As Sara Blakely from Spanx (who was on the show with me) said: “No sane person should ever sign that contract.” Yet we did & we’re smart… It almost personally killed me (9 times, I counted!) & destroyed my family. And that was 10 years ago when reality TV was kinder & gentler.

Word to the wise: do not ever sign a contract to appear on reality TV. I know from personal experience since I did. Worst idea ever.

On October 2, 2013, ‏@Evrynameisgone tweeted that Teresa shouldn’t stay on the show and said that “no money is worth it”:

@HeatherMaclean With all they have done to Teresa and the negative karma it has brought upon her, she shouldn’t stay. No $$ is worth it.

Heather tweeted that she agreed and said she wished Teresa could leave:

@Evrynameisgone I know. I agree. I wish she could leave.

In reply, @Evrynameisgone asked why Teresa couldn’t leave:

@HeatherMaclean With all due respect, why can’t she?

Heather didn’t respond.

I find it very hard to believe that Teresa virtually has become an indentured servant of Bravo, unable to free herself from a long-term, multi-year contract, especially since she is now in her sixth season with the network.

I think Heather tweets on Teresa’s behalf (just like Melissa’s sisters tweet on her behalf), and I believe Teresa could put a stop to Heather’s tweets about her if she were passing on information that Teresa doesn’t endorse (just like Melissa could stop her sisters).

Teresa freely admitted during reunion 5 that she likes nice things, plus she said in interviews after the federal indictment that she wants to continue her career as a Housewife, so she’s not denying that she likes the materialistic lifestyle that being a Housewife provides for her. So why pretend that Bravo won’t let her leave the series?