RHONJ: Margaret Josephs' Cheating Scandal Explained
Margaret Josephs has done a stellar job at bringing the drama since her introduction on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The fashion designer and her husband Joe Benigno have made a splash (pun intended) on the reality show since their addition in Season 8 (via Married Biography). By Season 9, Margaret spent the entire season at odds with OG housewife Danielle Staub, per People. Their feud got so bad, it resulted in Margret teaming up with her husband to push Danielle's then-husband Marty Cafferty into the pool at an event being held at Jennifer Aydin's house.
Margaret and Joe were no strangers to drama, though. They were actually the perfect pair after starting their romance as an affair Margaret had outside of her first marriage to Jan Josephs (via Bustle). They met after the Josephs hired Joe to be their contract plumber, according to Distractify. But, Joe ended up draining more pipes than Jan had intended.
Margaret Josephs and Joe Benigno's 'torrid love affair'
After sneaking behind Jan Josephs for some time, Margaret Josephs revealed the moment she knew she wanted to take things further with Joe Benigno (via Bravo). "One time, Joe and I stayed at a hotel together. The Bowery, we used to stay there, when we were having our torrid love affair," Margaret candidly told Brandi Redmond on Bravo's digital series Housewife to Housewife.
"It was snowing; there was a snowstorm," she continued. "But it was puddles, puddles, puddles, and we had to get in a taxi, and it was huge puddles. Of course I had my high heels on, and he didn't want me to step in the puddle. So he stepped in it with his boots on so I could step on his foot to get into the cab. I was like, I'm totally marrying this guy."
The affair came with its own setbacks after the divorce. Margaret opened up on the show about how her stepchildren disowned her after her split from Jan. "I know they don't hate me," Margaret told People in January 2018. "They're holding a grudge. And it doesn't make it any easier. But I know in my heart we'll find a way back to one another. I'd die over them." She still has ties to her stepchildren considering their relation to her son with her ex-husband. But, "there's always that piece missing," as she shared on the show.