Rulla Nehme Pontarelli made her grand entrance into the Bravo universe during tonight’s episode of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.
Like almost everyone in the cast, Rulla has known the other women for years. Liz McGraw met Rulla over a decade ago through the bustling Rhode Island boating community, and they bonded over each being half-Syrian. Kelsey Swanson met Rulla through McGraw and describes her as a “very classy and put-together” type of person. Per Swanson, Rulla is often “very calm and monotone,” though she’s confident that Rulla has “some emotions” somewhere deep down.
From the moment Rulla sits down with McGraw and Swanson in Episode 2, it’s clear that her storyline is going to keep us entertained. The women waste no time getting into the affair allegations surrounding Rulla’s husband, Brian Pontarelli, and whether or not he still has a mistress to this day.
So, is Rulla’s husband still cheating on her? And why did she have him arrested last year? Keep reading for everything you need to know.
Who is Rulla Nehme Pontarelli?
Born in Providence, RI, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli now lives in the “upscale town” of Lincoln, RI, with her husband, Brian Pontarelli, and their two children, Luca, 8, and Laila, 5. Rulla, who is of Lebanese and Syrian descent, runs her own financial planning firm in Rhode Island, while her husband Brian, whom she’s been married to for nine years, is a podiatrist. Rulla describes herself as a “nautical girl,” revealing in her debut episode of RHORI that she’s “one of the only female captains” in Rhode Island. There’s a reason why she’s referred to as a boss bitch!
Is Rulla Nehme Pontarelli’s husband cheating on her?
This question is a bit complicated. In Episode 2 of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, it’s revealed that Rulla’s husband had an affair a year before they started filming the show (circa summer 2024, to be exact). Rulla found out about the affair after Jo-Ellen Tiberi came across some photos of Brian cozied up with another woman. Brian swears it’s all “in the past,” and while Rulla says she’s “still working on forgiving him,” she assures her friends that his relationship with the woman in the photos “is not still ongoing.”
HOWEVER, Liz shares in her confessional, “It’s pretty out there that Brian is still doing his thing with this woman,” whom she describes as his “mistress.” It sounds like we’ll just have to keep watching for the truth.
Why did Rulle Nehme Pontarelli have her husband arrested?
According to an October 2025 Rhode Island State Police report obtained by NBC 10 News, Rulla accused her husband of placing a tracking device in her vehicle, which is a misdemeanor domestic violence offense in Rhode Island. Rulla claimed her husband had previously admitted to tracking her location without her consent, and accused him of putting black objects in her car that he claimed would improve Wi-Fi, but turned out to be audio and video recording devices. Authorities later uncovered a black device in Rulla’s tire bag, resulting in Brian’s arrest and subsequent charge for placing a tracking device in a car without consent. However, Rulla reportedly had the criminal case against her husband dropped in December 2025.
Despite the drama that unfolded late last year, it seems like Rulla and Brian are still working on their marriage. Brian accompanied Rulla to Thursday night’s (April 2) taping of Watch What Happens Live, along with two of the other Rhode Island house-husbands, and cozied up to her for a photo (seen below) at the show’s premiere party.
Who is Rulla Nehme Pontarelli feuding with in The Real Housewives of Rhode Island?
At the time Rulla joins The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, she and Jo-Ellen are not on good terms. Rulla describes Jo-Ellen as a “shit-stirrer,” revealing that while she “comes across as friendly,” that’s “not always the truth.” So, what happened? According to Rulla, after Jo-Ellen came across the photos of Brian and his mistress, she shared the pictures with the other women in the group, and ran around town talking about it. Rulla also accuses Jo-Ellen of stirring up rumors that she and her husband are “getting a divorce” and that he’s “leaving her for that petty fucking slut.” Now we know why Jo-Ellen said secrets are not safe with her!
How to watch The Real Housewives of Rhode Island:
Those looking to watch The Real Housewives of Rhode Island will need access to Bravo and/or Peacock. If you have a cable subscription, you can access the network on the BravoTV website, or stream the show live on platforms like Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV when it airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes also become available the next day on Peacock.
Peacock currently offers two subscription types: Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad-free. Peacock Premium costs $10.99/month, while Premium Plus costs $16.99/month.
You can save a bit by subscribing to one of Peacock’s annual plans, which give you 12 months for the price of 10. These cost either $109.99 with ads or $169.99 without ads.
Peacock Premium Plus is also available to subscribe to via Prime Video with a seven-day free trial that you can’t get by subscribing directly on Peacock.