Kriti Mehrotra
It was in the 2000s that everything turned upside down for Libby Earle Henry as she realized her perfect traditional marriage was far from what it seemed, owing to her husband’s deception. She once believed Edward “Ted” House was her true love, having no idea that he would go on to not only commit bank, mortgage, and wire fraud but also leave her high and dry in the worst way. Her tale has since been carefully explored on ABC’s ‘Betrayal: Secrets & Lies: The Kentucky Conman,’ which underscores every aspect of her ordeal as well as how she managed to overcome it.
Libby Henry Was a Willing Housewife for The Man She Lovingly Referred to as Her Ken Doll
Born on April 16 in the early 1970s in Louisville, Kentucky, as one of two daughters to a complex mother and a loving father, Libby Earle Henry sadly did not have the easiest childhood. According to her own account in the aforementioned original, she was primarily raised amid financial constraints by a mother who allegedly seemed to have borderline personality disorder. Therefore, things at home were reportedly quite difficult for her from an early age, resulting in her deep desire to one day create a family completely different and independent from the one in which she grew up.
Little did Libby know she would go on to meet her future husband at the University of Kentucky while they were both pursuing their Bachelor’s degrees in their respective fields of interest. However, they did share a history class, and that’s where Edward “Ted” House first spoke to her in August 1991 – his opening line to her was about their syllabus, but she still gave him a chance. Their first date gradually turned into much more, during which she learned he was not only very attractive but also came from an incredibly prominent family, reminding her of Mattel’s Ken Doll.
Libby and Ted essentially became the “it couple” over time, so it came as no surprise when he got down on one knee for her within a year, and they began planning their nuptials for summer 1993. She knew he could have a temper, yet she was so in love that she happily tied the knot with him, settled into a beautiful home, and welcomed their only child, Caroline, into the world on April 10, 1997. She was still working in the late 1990s, but soon quit as she reportedly began experiencing chronic back pain, with Ted avowing it’s not going to be a problem because he made more than enough for their little family as a mortgage industry professional.
After Eight Years of Marriage and a Lot of Tumultuous Times, Libby Henry Filed for Divorce
Although Libby became a homemaker due to her reported medical condition, she loved it because she got to be responsible for the household and raise her young girl precisely the way she desired. The fact that Ted seemed to be thriving also always kept her mind at ease, especially as they often took vacations to exotic places like Costa Rica or visited beautiful locations like Martha’s Vineyard. As if that wasn’t enough, with his independent hobby-turned-career of flipping houses also allegedly becoming profitable, the family moved into a fancy million-dollar home.
It was then, in the early 2000s, that Libby began noticing Ted seemed to be in an angry, hasty, panicked, or stressed state at all times, leading her to confront him about his demeanor. As per her account in the production, he allegedly told her his partner had gotten him “involved in something” bad before telling him he would come after his entire family if the truth was revealed. However, she claims that when she later spoke to her in-laws, they said they had learned his partner hadn’t made any threats, and Ted had only asserted it because he was truly scared and worried.
Libby initially believed her husband as well as her in-laws, but she grew worried again when her husband allegedly lost his cool with her for simply having purchased an antique platter. “He threw such a fit… he exploded,” she said in the show. “…I had on my sunglasses, and he got so mad that he ripped them off, crumpled them in his hand, and threw them out the window. And that cut like the side, right here on my nose. He was just escalating.” She later learned they were in “financial trouble” due to what he described as bad business decisions and had to sell their home, but she only filed for divorce after more alleged domestic incidents.
Libby Henry Learned of Her Husband’s Fraud After Separation and Has Since Done Her Best to Move On
While Libby was well aware Ted had landed them in financial ruin since her checking account had just $11 in it at one point, she had no idea he was a fraudster until after she had filed for divorce. According to the ABC series, that’s when creditors started calling her, and she realized her estranged husband had not only taken out loans in her name but also opened up credit card accounts. He even took the car he had previously given her as a gift since it was to be repossessed, which only solidified her decision to part ways for good – their divorce was finalized in September 2005.
As per Libby and Ted’s divorce agreement, she was allowed to stay in a condo owned by his parents for 2 years while receiving $1,200 in child support, but he later had the amount reduced to $149. It was a few months later that she learned the FBI was actually investigating her ex-husband for mortgage fraud, so she immediately contacted a lawyer to clear her name. She was worried she was also being looked at as a suspect because they had been married for 8 years, but she was quickly told that wasn’t the case. In fact, the lead agent said, “You’re only guilty of trusting your husband.” While Ted was eventually convicted of bank, mortgage, and wire fraud, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2009, Libby claims she has never been able to financially rebound.
Apart from Libby’s alleged medical condition hindering her from working traditional full-time jobs, she reportedly also spent 8 years having her credit score/documents amended to show the actuality. She claims her ex-husband had even forged her signature on real estate deeds used in his mortgage fraud schemes. Nevertheless, Libby has still managed to build a good life for herself with the help of a strong support system, which includes her daughter, sister, friends, and a community of other women who’ve endured similar situations. She came across the latter in the White Collar Wives Project support group, of which she is an active as well as a passionate member. Another one of her passions is the Kentucky Derby, so it appears as if she makes sure to attend it every single year with loved ones. We should mention she has snce also penned a memoir titled ‘The People in My House, the proceeds of which seemingly help her lead a good life in her beloved home state of Kentucky.
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