PT Entertainment
John Fuda, the husband of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” newbie Rachel Fuda, doesn’t appreciate Teresa Giudice fans — whom he refers to as “Tre Stumps” — digging into his past as Season 13 aired this year.
“I’ve read some bogus misinformation on Twitter, so I figured I’d give the facts!” the 35-year-old exclusively tells Page Six, beginning with speculation about his 2008 arrest at age 21 for operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a narcotic.
“I was never convicted and charges were dismissed,” he asserts. “Some of the online trolls tried to twist this information, stating this was the reason why I changed my name.”
John, whose birth name is Jonathan D’Atria, tells us his previous trouble with the law has nothing to do with his current surname, refuting an assumption made by acolytes of Giudice, 51, and her husband, Luis “Louie” Ruelas — noted adversaries of the Fudas.
“My last name is Fuda because after my parents’ divorce, when I was a baby, my mother had immense support from her side of the family,” he explains.
“My grandfather was a huge of our lives, and the father figure in mine. My mother even received a call from Paramus school one day asking her to correct my signature; I always wrote ‘Jonathan Fuda’ on my papers.”
John says he was made aware that his “last name was actually D’Atria” as a kid, but “formally changed” it to Fuda in 2016 — legally transitioning from Jonathan Ross D’Atria to Jonathan D’Atria Fuda.
“Before getting married [to Rachel] in January of 2017, I wanted to carry the name Fuda in honor of Joseph Fuda,” he elaborates, before directly addressing Giudice and Ruelas’ followers as “Tre Stumps” — a nickname Margaret Josephs coined during the most recent and very contentious “RHONJ” reunion.
For more Page Six reality TV updates
“Some of the ‘Tre Stumps’ need to ask themselves if I wanted to hide my past, why did I make my former last name my middle name?” John asks, adding that he is “not ashamed of mistakes [he] made as a kid.”
Conversely, John says he is “forever grateful for the resilience and support [he has] received” since his brief stint in custody 15 years ago.
“Some kids just need extra guidance, and I’m glad to have learned from being a kid, and have a beautiful family and business now,” says the father of three and Fuda Tile and Marble founder.
John shares two young daughters, Gianella and Giuliana, with Rachel, 31, who legally adopted his 16-year-old son, Jaiden, this year.
Part of the adoption process was documented in the latest “New Jersey” installment, prompting Jaiden’s incarcerated birth mother, Brittany Malsch — with whom the high schooler doesn’t communicate — to speak out in a string of hurtful jailhouse interviews.
“I’m annoyed by [Malsch] making this public. My parents made a strong effort not to talk about her shortcomings or bash her,” Jaiden told Page Six earlier this month.
“I have no feelings of anger or animosity toward her; she’s like a stranger to me.”
During the reunion, John accused Ruelas of hiring a private investigator to look into his past with Malsch as part of an alleged smear campaign to make the Fudas — and more enemies of Giudice’s, including Margaret Josephs and estranged sister-in-law Melissa Gorga — look bad.
Despite repeatedly boasting about his close relationship with retired NYPD detective Bo Dietl — and having information about certain cast members — Ruelas, 48, has denied orchestrating any such investigation.
Dietl, 72, has also denied having any involvement.
Even though Ruelas tried making amends with the Fudas during the “RHONJ” reunion, John — who brought a mysterious then-unopened manila envelope to the taping — remained skeptical, demanding more answers before accepting an apology.
“The rest of the fans want to know what was in the envelope! Please stay tuned to see what the network has in store for all of us,” John teases. “The envelope was opened backstage and it’s out of my hands at this point.”
As Page Six previously reported, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” Season 14 — which will feature returning cast members Rachel, Giudice, Gorga, 44, Josephs, 56, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Aydin and “friends” Jackie Goldschneider and Jennifer Fessler — begins filming next month.
