Lara Sophia 
RHONJ star John Fuda is telling his side of the story regarding his much-talked-about name change and recently uncovered criminal history.
John Fuda recently chatted with the Brav-Bros podcast, where he shed some light on his decision to change his last name from D’Atria to Fuda.
The husband of RHONJ newbie Rachel Fuda also denies that he changed his last name in an attempt to hide his past criminal history.
To start, John joked about his criminal past, saying, “I’m a felon. Watch it,” before denying that he is a convicted felon despite what some reports are claiming.
However, John Fuda admits to having several brushes with the law in his youth but insists he is NOT a convicted felon.
The 35-year-old said:
“I’m not a convicted felon at all. So what they posted, they actually left out the bottom of it. There [are] actually two more lines in that same exact report that says it was dismissed. So you know, like any other kid, I got in trouble when I was a juvenile. Got myself into a [of] couple things – fights and this and that. Someone took it, posted it, and left out the part where it says, [dismissed] to paint [a certain] picture of me. I’m not a convicted felon at all.”
According to records, John Fuda was arrested in 2008 for operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a narcotic. At the time of his arrest, John was 21 years old. He was also already a father to his now sixteen-year-old son, Jaiden Fuda, with ex-Brittany Malsch.
Here is a copy of John’s arrest record from 2008.
When it comes to changing his last name from D’Atria to Fuda, John explains that when he was getting ready to marry his now-wife Rachel, he wanted a fresh start. He also claims that he grew up believing he was a Fuda since the Fuda family raised him.
John Fuda explained:
“Everybody comes up with my name change, you know, that’s the next big scoop that they got. That’s the most interesting information they have. I changed my name because we got married in 2017. I kept my last name as my middle name, so my full name was Jonathan Ross D’Atria. I was raised by the Fuda family. I always honestly thought I was a Fuda until I was in third or fourth grade. My mother yelled at me one day, and we actually found the projects. I still have ’em. I used to sign Jonathan Fuda. Basically, I waited a while. Finally, when I was old enough, and I figured out the process, and I [could] afford it, I changed my name.”
He continued,
“Once I did that, it was because we got married in 2017, and I wanted to start my new family. And I have the family crest, the Fuda Crest, and I wanted to start everything the right way. So I did it in 2017. I changed my name at that point to honor my grandfather, Joseph Fuda. So my name now is Jonathan D’Atria Fuda. So for all those who think I’m hiding from my past, why would I keep my last name as my middle name?”
Production for season 14 of Real Housewives of New Jersey will start in late August.
