In 2011, VH1 introduced viewers to Mob Wives, a reality TV show that offered an inside look into the lives of tough, outspoken Staten Island women with connections to the mob. Certainly similar to the Real Housewives franchise, the show spanned six seasons and followed several women whose lives were shaped by organized crime, either through famous family members imprisoned for their dirty deeds, or romantic partners that brought them into the lifestyle.

Known for their expensive furs and bold personalities, the only cast member to appear in all six seasons was Drita D’Avanzo. When the show concluded in 2016, Drita continued to find herself in the tabloids, but it wasn’t anything to be proud of. Now, nearly a decade later, she’s set to return to reality TV as a contestant on Season 3 of House of Villains.

What Has Mob Wives Star Drita D’Avanzo Been Doing Since The Show Ended?

Drita D’Avanzo Had Brushes With The Law

Drita D’Avanzo appeared in all six seasons of Mob Wives. Unlike some of her castmates who were born in the mob world, such as Renee Graziano (daughter of mobster Anthony Graziano) and Karen Gravano (daughter of Gambino crime family member Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano), Drita was introduced to it through her husband, Lee D’Avanzo—who also happened to be Karen’s ex-boyfriend. Her rocky relationship with Karen fueled some of the show’s most intense moments, including several physical altercations that weren’t pretty.

When Drita, who is of Albanian descent, wasn’t confronting these ladies, she was usually seen calling Lee from prison as she took care of their two daughters in her Staten Island home. According to TV Insider, Drita married Lee, an alleged member of the Colombo crime family.

Drita Was Arrested Twice

Although Drita wanted to set herself apart from her husband’s connections to organized crime, she ended up finding herself in trouble with the law, too. The same year that the show ended, in 2016, Page Six reported that the reality star was arrested for misdemeanor assault after she got into a physical altercation with her neighbor regarding a parking spot.

However, Drita was not prosecuted, and the case was dismissed.

“After speaking with the complainant, who indicated she did not wish to cooperate, and based upon our evaluation of the evidence, our office determined it cannot prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt and has subsequently declined to prosecute the matter. Ms. D’Avanzo has been notified that she is not required to come to court,” the director of communications for the Richmond County district attorney shared in a statement.

The neighbor allegedly told TMZ that she was “living in fear” of Drita and the D’Avanzo family.

Unfortunately, Drita would once again find herself on the wrong side of the law—this time, facing far more serious charges.

In 2019, Drita and Lee’s home in Staten Island was raided by police and both of them were arrested and charged with possession of drugs and firearms. Faith was apparently on her side because her charges were eventually dropped. However, Lee was sent back to prison for 64 months and has since been released, per The U.S. Sun. In fact, Drita told the same outlet that she and Lee have been separated “for a couple of years now” and that she has plans to announce their official divorce.

What Is Drita Doing Now?

When speaking with The U.S. Sun, Drita revealed that she was launching a podcast. “I’m working on a podcast and you’re going to find out a lot and you are going to be like, ‘Whoa!’ she said. “If you notice on Instagram, anything I do, even when I did Mob Wives… I didn’t talk about anything. I feel like when I do talk maybe people will listen because I will have something to say and I’ll be honest.” The reality star released her podcast, titled Drita Uncut, in July 2024, but has not released a new episode since December of last year.

While on Mob Wives, Drita, who is also a talented and professional makeup-artist, released a beauty store called Lady Boss. In 2022, it was also announced that her label was going to also offer apparel, with an image on Instagram showing Drita and her two daughters wearing Lady Boss athleisure.

According to Time Out, Drita also hosts a “mob wives aesthetic” dinner at the Ainslie Bowery in New York City. During the event, which features a three-course Italian meal, Drita judges those dressed in their best mob wives styles with winners taking home gift cards and champagne from the restaurant.

Additionally, Drita shared with TMZ that she was working on creating a scripted series about her life. “It’s seriously going to be something else,” she told the outlet. It’s clear that Drita still loves the mob wife style, and she’s not letting it go any time soon.

Drita’s Big Personality Will Shine In House Of Villains Season 3

Drita Will Be Among Several Iconic Reality TV Villains

Drita will be joining 10 other infamous reality TV villains under one roof as they compete for a $200,000 grand prize and the coveted title of “America’s Favorite Supervillain” on House of Villains Season 3. On May 28th, Peacock unveiled the new cast lineup, promising a season to remember. Fan-favorite Tiffany “New York” Pollard returns for her third appearance after going away empty-handed in Seasons 1 and 2, while Bravo’s most notorious cheater, Tom Sandoval, is also set to stir things up.

Fans have not seen Drita interact with her cast mates since 2016, so watching her well-known fierce personality will definitely be a treat for fans. We can just imagine seeing Drita and “New York” find themselves coming to blows this season on more than one occasion. Then again, could they shock everyone by forming an unexpected alliance?

The cast for House of Villains Season 3 includes:

• Paul Abrahamian (Big Brother)
• Tyson Apostol (The Challenge, Survivor)
• Kate Chastain (Below Deck, The Traitors)
• Jackie Christie (Basketball Wives)
• Drita D’Avanzo (Mob Wives)
• Plane Jane (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
• Johnny Middlebrooks (Love Island, The Challenge)
• Ashley Mitchell (The Challenge)
• Tiffany “New York” Pollard (Flavor of Love, I Love New York)
• Christine Quinn (Selling Sunset)
• Tom Sandoval (The Traitors, Vanderpump Rules)

Comedian and actor Joel McHale will return as host for the new season. As fans will remember, the Season 1 winner was Bad Girls Club star Tanisha Thomas, with Love & Hip Hop star Safaree Samuels taking home the cash prize and title for Season 2.

The show certainly wants to see these reality TV stars bring their A-game, which means using whatever skills they possess that many fans hate — cheating, lying, scheming, and even backstabbing — whatever it takes to make it to the end. We can certainly see Drita dominating this season thanks to her mob wives mentality. Plus, fans can look forward to her killer mob wives fashion looks.