Wendy Osefo and her husband, Eddie Osefo, requested separate criminal trials after they were arrested and charged with insurance fraud, which raised some fans’ eyebrows. Us Weekly exclusively spoke to legal experts who explained why The Real Housewives of Potomac stars may have made the move.
Attorney John W. Day, who handles criminal defense and is not associated with the case, told Us, “Some reasons the two may want to be tried separately include different defense strategies related to one defendant-spouse not wanting to be prejudiced by evidence against the other spouse; or the defenses may include trying to deflect blame on one spouse by implicating the other.”
Day added, “And there may be evidence against one spouse that [is] not strong against the other, and that spouse may not want to be prejudiced by the other’s evidence. This is a smart move by the defense lawyers. It’s not unusual at all for spouses to want their cases severed from each other. We don’t [have] enough right now to know the defense strategy.”
Criminal defense attorney Lauren Johnson-Norris, who is also not connected to the case, told Us, “It’s quite common for married couples indicted together to ask for separate trials, but that request is not a typical or routine step. It reflects the specific strategic and legal dynamics of the case. Separately trying spouses may give each individual a better chance to control their own defense, avoid the risks of ‘guilt by association,’ and pursue negotiated outcomes tailored to their circumstances.”
Wendy, 41, and Eddie were arrested on October 9 in Westminster, Maryland, on charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy and making a false statement to a police officer.
The charges stem from a reported burglary that Wendy and Eddie reported to police on April 7, 2024. The duo was released on $50,000 bond.
As Us first reported, Wendy filed court docs on October 17 asking that all charges be dismissed. In addition, she requested that the “trial of co-defendants be severed from the trial(s) of this Defendant.”
Wendy’s legal team, who are only representing Wendy and not Eddie, told Us, “The motions that were filed by our legal team are standard motions that are filed in every criminal case in Maryland. These motions are intended to prompt prosecutors to produce evidence pursuant to the Maryland Rules. It is routine to file these motions at the outset of every case to preserve evidence and assert our clients’ rights, though not every component is applicable to every case.”
On October 24, Eddie’s lawyer filed court docs which also requested his charges be dropped and any trial be separated from any codefendant’s trial.
As Us previously reported, prosecutors claim the reality stars reported to police that several expensive items were stolen while they were on vacation in Jamaica. The police noted the couple’s security system did not detect any motion on the night in question.
The police claimed Wendy and Eddie made misleading statements to their insurance companies. They believe some of the items the couple claimed were stolen were actually returned before the burglary. In addition, they claimed the couple had at least 15 items that they claimed were stolen inside their home when they were arrested.
Officials noted the couple was “burdened by substantial debt.”
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