Former Wesleyan Visiting Professor And TV Show Star Facing Fraud Charges In Maryland

CARROLL COUNTY, MD — A former visiting professor at Wesleyan University and a cast member of The TV reality show "The Real Housewives of Potomac" was free on bond this week after her indictment on 16 fraud-related charges, police in Carroll County, MD said.

On Oct. 9, former Distinguished Visiting Professor of Sociology Wendy Osefo was arrested in Maryland along with her husband, Edward. Both are 41.

She was teaching a sociology class at Wesleyan. The Wesleyan Argus reported she was on campus to teach a class on Oct. 8.

According to a news release, the case dates back to April 7, 2004, when Carroll County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a residence in Finksburg, MD, to investigate a reported burglary.

When they arrived at the residence, deputies met with the homeowners, who stated they returned from a vacation to find that their home had been entered and numerous items had been stolen, according to a news release.

They reported that approximately 80 items of jewelry, luxury goods, clothing, and shoes were stolen, collectively worth more than $200,000, according to an arrest report.

During the investigation, detectives found that more than $20,000 of the items reported stolen had been returned by the owners to the locations the items were purchased, according to a news release. Further, Detectives found images of a homeowner wearing jewelry that had been reported stolen after the burglary took place, according to a news release.

On Oct. 9 of this year, the investigation was presented to a Grand Jury and the homeowners were indicted, authorities said.

A search warrant was issued for the residence and arrest warrants were issued for the homeowners, identified as Edward Osefo and Wendy Osefo, according to a news release. They were both taken into custody, transported to Carroll County Central Booking, and were formally charged with the multiple counts related to fraud, according to a news release.

On Oct. 10, Edward and Wendy Osefo both posted bond and were released, authorities said.

The Wesleyan Argus reported that an email to students from Wesleyan Albritton Center director Khalilah Brown-Dean indicated that Osefo was being replaced.